Tales From The Avenger
by DrAmishMD
Summary: A collection of one-shots written by readers of XCOM: RWBY Within and XCOM: Remnant Unknown.
1. The First Photoshoot

A/N: Hello everyone! This was an idea cooked up by one of the members on the Discord server and fully endorsed by me. I've wanted to make small, Tales From The Anthill styled one-shots for Remnant Unknown, but I _also_ want to devote all of my writing time towards the main story. So Vin, in his infinite wisdom, proposed the idea of having readers submit their own little one-shots that I can compile and post on here. It'll give everyone something to enjoy between my updates, and offers the benefit of fleshing out some of the minor (often fluffy) details that are unfortunately not important enough to warrant chapter space in Remnant Unknown.

The plan is for me to give them a final editorial pass before I post them, but the are otherwise written by readers who are interested in adding something to the story of REMCOM.

And so I present to you the first entry for this initiative, written by Vinpap himself, that expands on something I've been meaning to hint at in Remnant Unknown.

* * *

 **Title:** The First Photoshoot

 **Author:** Vinpap

The Avenger was, for a long time, a real maze of empty room and hallways. But as the crew size expanded and more rooms were needed, it became easier to find its way through the ship. Velvet had grown accustomed to walking around the ship and exploring its various hidden secrets. Be it an out-of-the-way game room, a room designed to host dance battles or even a sweatshop for some kind of action figure, Velvet always enjoyed those little discoveries.

However, she never expected her team leader to be in one of the abandoned rooms, setting up lighting, decors and props around on shelves. Nor did she expect to see the room next to it be filled with clothes, uniforms and other accessories for people to wear. Silently, Velvet entered the clothing room and began to scan the various clothing racks. The clothes varied in style but they all had one thing in common: they were all authentic and high quality. They were from all over the world. From Vacuoan silk shirts to Atlesian dress coats, even Menagerie's fashion was represented. Velvet slowly moved through the alleys of the clothing, letting her hand roam through the various items, a smile slowly tugging her lips upwards. She then moved towards the back wall, where a large number of hats, caps, glasses and other random accessories were labelled in various containers, all arranged in orderly fashion.

"Oh, damn, I hoped to make this a little surprise when I finished setting everything up."

The voice made Velvet shriek as she turned around, not expecting someone else to be present in the room with her. In the doorway, Coco stood against the doorframe, hands in her pockets and a smile on her face. For once her sunglasses were nowhere to be seen but it did nothing to lessen her beauty, nor her aura of confidence. Velvet laid a hand over her heart as she took deep breaths to lower her heartbeat to a more reasonable speed.

"And I thought that these ears of yours would help you hear other people coming at you… Guess that I was mistaken." Coco smiled as she walked towards her teammate.

"Oh har har. This has nothing to do about my ears and you know it!"

Coco couldn't stop herself from laughing when she saw Velvet's pout and the way her ears dipped when she mentioned them. They didn't stay that way for long, Velvet's smile slowly came back as her friend approached her.

"So, mind telling me what's going on here? I know you have a lot of clothes, but this… Even this is a bit too much for you."

"Well, as I said, we were planning on making this public when it was all done, but… I'll make an exception since you're kinda involved in it."

"I'm involved?"

"Only if you want of course. But Central, a few other operatives and I had a discussion a week or two ago. We were saying that we should find a way to counter Cinder's plans and PR campaign. That's when someone proposed we create our own propaganda campaign. To show that we are not the monsters that Cinder claims we are!"

As Coco made her speech, she became more and more expressive, her hands becoming a flurry of motion as she began to gesticulate energetically, and Velvet smiled as she saw the passion in her eyes. She pressed a finger against Coco's lips which promptly shut her up, her eyes bulging as she looked at the offending digit.

"Just jump to the bit that concerns me." Velvet said, giggling softly at her team leader's antics.

"So… As I was saying! We need to create our own propaganda machine. And this is where this room, the studio and you come in. With your camera, my fashion sense and our network of agents in all the kingdoms we can begin to show everybody that we are actually here to help them. I wanted to make a test set with me so we could showcase what we could do. Think you can do it?"

Velvet stayed silent for a long while. Both her ears dipped as she began to think over what her friend had told her. This would put a lot of pressure on her. It would be her job to ensure the success of the propaganda campaign, while making each set fit with each of the kingdoms. Atlas would need something appealing to their military side while also showcasing some degree of nationalism, while Vacuo…

Coco looked at her friend pace back and forth, head down and arms crossed as she thought about what she had to do. Not wanting to put pressure on her, Coco slowly left the room and began to put the final touches to the set. The only things that she lacked now were a few more backgrounds and possibly another set of lighting but, as of right now, it would have to do. And anyway, some things could be touched up through the image editor she knew Velvet had in her possession. When she heard the door open, she turned around and smiled at the sight of Velvet walking in, her camera in hand. The rabbit girl looked around, taking in what had been done in the room, assessing what could be improved and what had to go. She then nodded at Coco and took a deep breath.

"Alright, I'll do it, but at the condition that I have complete control of everything during the photoshoot. Is that clear?"

Coco grinned and gave a salute to Velvet who laughed in return. This would be so much fun.

* * *

Ruby hummed slowly as she hopped through the Avenger's hallways. These lonely walks through the ship had become her own way to fight against the fact that her team was now spread across the various kingdoms. These walks allowed her to think, to be alone in her thoughts and to reminisce about all the good times her team had spent together. Not that she didn't like the other members of XCOM. She loved spending time with Annette, Lily and all the rest. But this was different. It was her team, her squad, her friends and they weren't with her right now. Even if she knew it was all temporary, she just couldn't shake the feeling that…

"Oh yeah Coco, that's perfect! Just like that, I love it!"

This made the young huntress stop and look at the door that was now directly on her right. Now, this could be simply a misunderstanding and absolutely not be…

"Like that Velvet? Or do you prefer it when I do it… like this?"

"Oh, that's even better. Don't change anything."

… Slowly Ruby's cheeks turned red and she hid her face behind her hands. Even though no one was around, she instinctively tried to hide her blushing, years of awkward school days having ingrained the reaction in her. What had she stumbled on? First of all, why were Coco and Velvet doing this here and now of all places? And secondly, since when were they involved together? This was the most pressing matter for Ruby! As far as she knew, this wasn't the case during the festival so it must have developed in the time since then. Had Coco sought Velvet for some comfort after the events of the final match? Or was this something that had been developing before everything fell apart? She would have to ask them later but for now… retreat was the best course of action!

Ruby turned around and managed to take a few steps before she heard the door open. She turned around and saw a disheveled Velvet looking at her with a large smile. Ruby eeped when she saw the rabbit faunus head towards her and grab her by the hand, quickly closing her eyes as a way to preserve Velvet's privacy.

"Ruby! Just as I needed someone's help with Coco! Come with me!"

Ruby was at a loss for words. They were that confident in themselves that they were asking anybody to join them? She felt herself be tugged forward and she followed Velvet as her brain was trying to understand what was going on. A small whine, almost like one of a dog, escaped her lips as she was dragged towards the room. She never thought that this would how this moment would happen, and she was far from being ready for it. Still with her eyes closed, she tensed up when she felt the door close behind her.

"I SAW NOTHING I SWEAR!"

The room got silent in a second and Ruby wondered if she killed the mood for Velvet and Coco. Just as she was about to excuse herself and bolt out of the room, she froze when she heard Coco snort. Opening on of her eye slowly, she looked around and saw Coco, her full huntress attire on, standing on a stage. Her minigun was lightly held with her right hand while her left was removing her glasses from her eyes. Behind her, lit up with multiple LEDs, was a black and white emblem of XCOM. Ruby looked on her right and watched Velvet look at her like she had grown a second head.

"Ruby… What did you think was going on?" asked Coco, grinning as she saw Ruby's reaction.

"Hum… You see, I… SO! VELVET! You wanted me to help?"

"Y… Yeah… Could you hold that fan over there? I want to create an effect of wind on her."

Ruby nodded and did as directed. As she saw the two friends work, she couldn't help but smile as she looked at them. They were so nonchalant and worked so well together. Her smile faltered slightly when she was reminded that Weiss wasn't with her right now, but she quickly perished the thought. She would see Weiss and her team soon enough. Now was the time for something else. Now was the time to spend time with two other friends and help them in their project.

"So, Ruby, about what you thought we were doing…"

Ruby whined and blushed, Coco bursted out laughing and Velvet berated her while giggling as well. It was a good day on the Avenger.

* * *

Velvet was walking in the hallways of the Avenger. In her left hand, she held a long tube of paper, while the right one was holding a roll of tape. With a smile on her face, she was heading directly to the barracks, specifically to the bed she had commandeered. While intimacy was never something she had that much trouble with, having your own bed to sleep in was always something she had a fondness over. When talking about it with other operatives, she learned that no one really cared that she had a bed only for her, rather than using any bed that was free. So, here she was now with her own little bed. It made her happy that these people, despite knowing nothing about her, were ready to accept some of the things she was asking for.

When she arrived in front of her bed, she laid down the tube of paper and proceeded to unroll it slowly. In front of her eyes, Coco was grinning, hair and other accessories blowing in the wind, her sunglasses reflecting the light, giving them some kind of ethereal glow while the logo of XCOM appeared clearly behind her. Knees bent and arms at the ready, as well as in a position to showcase just how muscular they were, she held her minigun with all the confidence of a seasoned huntress ready to mow down hordes of Grimm. Slightly under her, in gold letters, were the words "We will retake what was lost ", while her name was written over her head in the same color.

When she and Coco had presented the final result to the staff on the bridge, the reactions had been overwhelmingly in favor of the work. Some people had offered some good criticism on how it could have been done or on some artistic aspects, but the return was still in favor of their little project. Seeing this, Bradford authorised the creation and officialisation of the photobooth and confirmed that the two huntress would have to create various sets for the different kingdoms, as a means to put XCOM in their favor. The teams in each of the kingdoms would then receive shipments of those posters and would be tasked of putting them all over the main cities in the kingdom, but also in the smaller villages.

But this wasn't why Velvet had this particular poster with her. It was for something completely different. She smiled as she grabbed the tape and climbed onto her bed. Standing on the tip of her toes she could barely reach the ceiling but it would have to do. She slowly, meticulously, taped the poster to the ceiling and smiled at the final result. Over her was now standing Coco in all her glory, representing everything they both stood for. To fight the fights that some people couldn't. To defend those who were in desperate need of defending.

Velvet giggled when she thought about what some people might say, about girls and posters over their bed, but Velvet didn't care about it this time. She had her friend, her team leader, always with her and she would follow her to battle on and on again, until no one needed that help anymore. Because that's what they were born to do. To be huntresses and to fight against evil.

* * *

A/N: So yeah, the idea is for these to be fun, fluffy little one-shots. They don't have to be very long, and they should try to look at some of the minor interactions, concepts, or themes that come up in Remnant Unknown. If this sounds like something you might be interested in contributing to, please stop by the Discord server, say hi to everyone, and share your work. We have two, maaaaaaybe three authors at the moment, and I'd love to have more of you involved!


	2. Operation Pool Day

A/N: So I should probably post these a little more often than once a month. I've got quite a backlog of them now, and they're all pretty rad. This one is on the fluffier side of things, but that's exactly what XCOM needs when the world is going to hell in a handbasket, isn't it?

* * *

 **Title:** Operation Pool Day

 **Author:** Joey245

It was a quiet, uneventful day on the Avenger. The massive salvaged Atlesian cruiser soared proudly in the sky, carrying the brave men and women of XCOM as well as their Remnant allies. The air was clear and free from inclement weather or airborne Grimm - by all accounts, it was a perfect day for flying.

Bradford walked down the halls of the Avenger, moving from one room to the next and making sure that everything and everyone was working smoothly. He could have easily delegated the task to any number of senior operatives, but he still preferred to be involved in the affairs of his crew. With no ongoing missions or covert operations to supervise, the Central Officer elected to make himself useful in other ways.

As he made his rounds, he passed by a door that led to an empty hall. The Avenger was a large ship with a lot of "room to grow", as Shen had put it, so it didn't surprise Bradford when he started hearing noises from beyond the door. XCOM operatives were still human, after all, and deserved to have some R & R like everyone else, so if they wanted to hang out and have some fun in the unfinished rooms, then Bradford didn't see any reason to stop them as long as they followed the rules.

What _did_ surprise Bradford, however, was the sound of water splashing. This was followed by a high-pitched shriek of shock, then punctuated by an even bigger splashing sound.

 _What the…_

Bradford hadn't even taken two steps towards the door when he heard the familiar voices of some of XCOM's most valued and powerful operatives.

"That's it, Valkyrie! You've incurred the wrath of Captain Rose! Ready yourself!"

"Bring it on, Captain! This is a mutiny! I will cast you into the sea and claim your ship for myself!"

"For the love of fuck, you two better not drown each other. I'm not in the mood to give anyone CPR today."

"Speak for yourself, Beags!"

"Wedge I swear -"

A palpable silence cut through the air as Bradford walked through the door into the hall, which he now realized was not as empty as he remembered. At least, he was pretty sure it was empty before - he certainly didn't recall the Atlesian cruiser housing an Olympic swimming pool, a three-tiered diving tower, and a bubbling hot tub in its lower decks. There were about a half-dozen operatives swimming in the water, which included Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Lily Shen, and a handful of volunteers that had joined XCOM when they left Patch. He saw the all-too-familiar face of Captain Beagle sitting on top of a tall chair, with a young man sitting on a slightly-shorter chair.

Bradford cradled his forehead in his fingers, trying to take in the situation before him.

"Central!" shrieked Ruby, who was out of the water and in front of the flabbergasted officer in a swirl of rose petals. "I-I can explain…"

"...you built a _swimming pool._ "

"Y-yes, sir."

"On the _Avenger._ "

"Uh-huh."

The Central Officer cracked a grin. "And you didn't think to invite me?"

Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Sir?..."

"I don't know how in the hell you managed this, but I get the feeling it's not gonna be easily dismantled. So if we can't get rid of it...we might as well enjoy it."

* * *

"I still can't believe you managed to convince Bradford to keep it," said Lily, "I thought we'd have to put up a fight to keep it open."

Ruby shrugged as she changed out of her soaked combat fatigues. "I didn't even have to say anything, he just went along with it. I think...I think he might be getting tired from everything that's been going on. He's usually not this serious and hardened."

"Really?" asked Lily as she stuffed her favorite denim jacket into a locker, "I don't think I've ever even seen Bradford smile before. You're telling me that he's actually a big softie?"

"I wouldn't call him 'soft', but he's definitely got a silly side. You weren't in the anthill during the war, so you haven't seen much of the old Bradford. One time he challenged Penny to a game of Civilization V, and -"

"Found something that might look good on you two! Hope you like them, because they're the only ones I have in your size."

Ruby and Lily looked to the door to see Coco Adel strutting in, wearing a form-fitting brown bikini, flip-flops with her insignia on the strap, and her signature sunglasses. She had a leather satchel slung across her shoulder, and in her hand she held two swimsuits dangling from the shoulder straps. She set them down on the bench between the two girls, and looked at them both with a knowing smirk. Ruby was surprised to hear that Coco had picked out a bunch of swimsuits when the Avenger was landed in Patch - but then, upon further reflection, she was surprised that she had been surprised at all. This _was_ XCOM's premier fashionista, after all.

"Thanks again, Coco!" said Ruby as she picked up a crimson two-piece suit. "Ooh! This one has roses on it!"

"I thought you'd like it," chuckled Coco, "Looks like you get the one-piece, kid."

Lily took the black swimsuit in both her hands, stretching it across her torso to see if it fit. "Not very modest, is it? It's like this thing has no back at all."

"That's the point," said Coco, "Don't worry - your dad won't be here to see you like that. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

As Coco walked out of the room, color rose to Lily's cheeks and she ducked into the next row of lockers, for some privacy when she changed and to escape Ruby's questioning glance.

"I still wish Doctor Shen was coming to the party," said Ruby as she started changing, "It won't be as much fun without him."

"Well, someone's gotta keep the Avenger flying," countered Lily from the next aisle, "Big Sky and Volt volunteered for the skeleton crew too, so the rest of us could have this. Besides, my dad's not much of a swimmer. Says it 'doesn't agree with him.'"

"What about you?" asked Ruby, "Do you like swimming?"

"Of course," replied Lily, "When I was younger, I tried to go swimming in anything. Ponds, lakes, water fountains...if it was deep enough to wade in, I'd try to jump in. Dad always said that I got the swimming gene from my mom...well..."

Lily's voice trailed off. Ruby suddenly felt a knot in her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"No, it's fine," mumbled Lily, "I just...I wish I got to know her, you know? Dad always talks about how amazing she was, and how much I remind him of Mom."

"I know what you mean," said Ruby, "I mean, sort of. I knew my mom a little, but she… uh… passed when I was only four, so I only have faint memories of her. I miss my mom sometimes too. A lot, actually. But XCOM's my family now, and now it's yours too."

Lily smiled. "Yeah. So...does that make us sisters?"

"Sure! Though that means you'd also be Yang's sister too, so -"

" _Ruuuuuuuuby…_ "

Ruby yelped and spun around on the spot, to see the familiar long blonde hair of her sister, which was completely covering her face and giving off a ghostly impression. Mechanized limbs reached outwards in a teasing manner, trying to grab Ruby but she tripped over her own boots and fell to the floor. Her top, which hadn't quite been secured yet, went flying off her body, prompting her to wrap her arms around herself to cover her innocence.

"YANG! That wasn't very nice!"

Yang flipped her hair back over her shoulder, revealing her grinning face and gleaming lilac eyes. "Aw, come on sis! It's been ages since I've been able to get a good rise out of you! I couldn't resist!"

"Ruby, are you okay?" Lily came out of her aisle of lockers, fully dressed in a black one-piece swimsuit. Yang took one look at the young Shen, and whistled.

"Looking good, Lily! Nice work on the chassis!"

Another wave of red took over Lily's cheeks as she immediately ducked back into hiding.

"Yang, knock it off!" protested Ruby, who had retrieved the top half of her swimsuit and was busily trying to secure it to her torso again, "She's not used to that kind of teasing! Besides, why are you even down here? I thought those MEC limbs were too heavy to float."

The blonde huntress grinned. "Yeah, turns out that alien alloys are a lot denser than water. So that's why, for the next hour, you are not to call me 'Yang'. Instead, you will refer to me as…"

Yang pantomimed removing all four of her limbs, then laid down on the bench between the row of lockers. Her hair flowed down around her, and a grinning smile overtook her face.

"... _Bob._ "

Ruby could hear a distinct snort from the next aisle. "Lily! Don't encourage her!"

"Hah! Finally, someone around here appreciates my wordplay!"

The young Captain rolled her eyes as she picked up her towel. "Come on, let's go on over. We can go together, Lily, if you want."

"I'd really appreciate that, Ruby. Let me just finish over here."

Yang beamed. "Aw, it's so nice to see such a beautiful friendship _blossoming_ between you two."

Ruby didn't even dignify that one with a reaction.

* * *

Doctor Vahlen walked down the hall, eyes glued to the floor and hands wringing the nonexistent water out of her towel. There was no air circulation inside the Avenger, but the parts of her not covered by the dark green one-piece she currently wore still felt as cold as ice. Her brown hair, normally held up by an intricate web of needles and bands, now fell across her shoulders; loose and vulnerable just like she was.

 _Why did I even agree to this?_

She knew the answer to that question in her mind: because Weiss told her to socialize more. But Weiss wasn't here - she was thousands of miles away in Atlas, back under the watchful eye of her tyrannical father. Aside from the other members of team RWBY, and half of team JNPR, she didn't really know anyone else that was going to the pool party. What would she do? How would she -

"Oh, _bonjour_ Vahlen! I didn't think you were coming!"

The Chief Scientist spun on her heel to see a young woman in a silver bandeau-style bikini walking towards her on long, toned legs. Her short brown hair and slender hips made her look frail and innocent; her grey eyes and sculpted muscles gave off the opposite impression. Whether on the battlefield or in a swimsuit, Annette dominated the environment she was in - being both a powerful Psionic Operative and a fledgeling Huntress tended to draw attention like that.

"Oh," said Vahlen, alarmed, "Uh, hello Major Durand."

Annette laughed. It sounded like sweet church bells ringing. "Vahlen, _mon ami,_ this is a party. You can just call me Annette. Come, walk with me. It wouldn't suit you at all to arrive all by yourself."

Vahlen gulped loudly as she saw Annette extend her elbow to her. After a moment's hesitation, she linked arms with XCOM's top soldier, and they began walking the hall together. Vahlen had to take more steps to keep up with Annette's long, confident strides, but she felt better now that she wasn't so alone.

"You look wonderful, Vahlen," said Annette softly, "I don't believe I've ever seen you with your hair down before."

"Yes, well…" said Vahlen, "I try to project a professional image. For our team, of course."

Annette nodded. "Ah, how I wish I could have long hair again. I used to have a head full of gorgeous hair, so long that it would make even Rapunzel jealous."

Vahlen chuckled. "Did your mother lock you in a tower and use your magic to keep herself young?"

Another beautiful laugh from Annette. "Ah, I wish. Those alien bastards shaved my head when they first got hold of me. When you first rescued me, what you saw was the result of months of trying to grow it back. Then I realized that having short hair was better for being an Assault - less likely to fly in your face when you're running at the speed of death."

"I'm not sure about that," countered Vahlen, "Weiss seems to not have any problems."

For a third time, Annette laughed. "I have no idea how she does it. Maybe it's because of her Remnant physiology? Their hair is better and superior to ours? Ah well, no matter. Here we are."

Vahlen looked around and realized that they were indeed standing in front of the doors that led to the pool hall. Annette unlinked their arms and grabbed the door, pulling it open and unleashing the roaring sounds contained within.

"After you, _mon ami._ "

Taking a breath to steady herself, Vahlen stepped into the pandemonium that awaited her. She stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the chaos that was happening before her. The hall was crowded with several dozen XCOM operatives, some wearing swimsuits, some wearing combat fatigues, and some wearing only their underwear. They were jumping off the diving boards, sitting back in the bubbling hot tub, or swimming up and down the lanes trying to race against each other. Captain Beagle was on lifeguard duty again, wearing a red tank top and a pair of Australian-flag-adorned boxers, while MacAuley sat on the edge of the deep end, carefully watching the participants submerged beneath the water.

All the Huntsmen teams were there, as well. Ruby and Lily were splashing around and laughing with each other, while a limbless Yang floated on the surface of the water. Blake sat in the corner, reading a book as she sat in a black two-piece bikini, while Coco sat at the edge of the pool, one leg crossed over the other as she watched everyone beneath her sunglasses. Nearby, Yatsuhashi, Ren, Bolin, and Nadir meditated in the corner, somehow managing to find inner peace in spite of all the chaos. Velvet floated lazily on a digistructed floatie, while Fox swam back and forth across the pool. Bubbles rose to the surface from the deep end, followed by a breathless Arslan and a defeated, panting Reese. A moment later, a victorious (and almost-drowned) Nora emerged, proclaiming her victory loudly even through mouthfuls of water dribbling from her chin.

"About time you got here."

Vahlen and Annette turned to see Bradford and Tygan approaching, both of them wearing green board shorts and holding drinks in their hand. Tygan's glasses were damp with condensation, while Bradford's hair was sopping wet.

"Hello, Bradford," said Vahlen with a nod, "Hello, Tygan."

Her fellow scientist pushed his glasses up into place, awkwardly turning away.

"Come, Tygan," said Annette as she reached out to the retreating scientist, "No need to be shy. We are all friends here, after all."

"I suppose so," muttered Tygan, "I just haven't ever seen Doctor Vahlen in a...casual setting until now."

"You ask me, things have been way too professional lately," said Bradford gruffly. "Remember all the trouble we used to get into back at the Anthill? There hasn't been too much of that lately, aside from Beagle's stint as a pirate captain."

"It has been quite dull around here for some time," said Annette, "I can't even remember the last time anything got added to The List."

Vahlen nodded. "I suppose we should thank Ruby and her friends for doing this. Though I am curious as to how they managed to construct this…"

"I was just talking with Ruby and Lily earlier," said Tygan, "Apparently they tried using water Dust with trace amounts of Elerium as the catalyst to create the pool, but it reacted so violently it nearly flooded the hall. So then they tried using a mixture of water and ice, and melted it using blow torches and MEC flamethrowers…"

"Really?" asked Vahlen, "Fascinating. But how did they manage to create a filtration system? I though Atlesian Cruisers didn't have internal plumbing."

"They don't," said Tygan, "Or at least… not one that can support this much water. Which is why they had to come up with something else. Here, come with me, and they can explain it better than I ever could…"

So Vahlen and Tygan went off together, leaving a smirking Bradford and a grinning Annette behind.

* * *

"Jaune, are you sure about this?"

The young Arc looked down at the woman in his arms, her eyes glued to his as she lay there limply. She was wearing a scarlet one-piece swimsuit, which perfectly complimented her long red hair and contrasted nicely with her brilliant green eyes. The question was purely rhetorical in nature, but her expression betrayed her concern. Even though Vahlen had begun the (very slow) process of her recovery, Pyrrha was still paralyzed from the neck down. Jaune could certainly understand why she'd be worried about going into the water.

"Absolutely," said Jaune, "even if I were to suddenly pass out, there's still a lot of people there. No one's gonna let you drown, Pyrrha - especially not me."

"You don't have to do this," said Pyrrha dejectedly, averting her gaze. "You can just leave me in the medbay, go and have fun with your friends without having to worry about dragging literal dead weight around."

Jaune sighed. "No, I can't. This party is for us, for XCOM. And last time I checked, you and I are both part of this. It's not fair for you to just miss out on this - you deserve to be there and having fun with everyone else. And I'm here to make sure that you enjoy it."

"Jaune…"

Pyrrha's complaining was suddenly cut short by her partner lifting her up and planting his lips on hers for a moment. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss as best she could, savoring one of the few feelings she could still enjoy while cursing her non-functioning muscles as she did so. That negativity was soon overwhelmed by a flow of good feelings - even though she might not feel Jaune's hand on her back, she could definitely feel his love for her, and that was all that mattered to her in that instant.

Jaune lowered her slowly, staring into her eyes as she opened them again. With a smile, he threw his shoulders back and started marching down the hall to the pool. Pyrrha's eyes scanned over him, glanced at his well-toned muscles and white swim trunks, staring into the blue gems on his face as they peeked out from beneath a blonde waterfall.

Ren and Nora were already standing at the doors as they approached, watching and waiting for their team members. When they were close enough, they pulled the doors open with a heave, allowing Jaune and Pyrrha clear passage into the crowded cacophony on the other side. The noise of the operatives was loud and reverberating, but disappeared as they started to take notice of the new arrivals. Pyrrha's heart sank as everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her and Jaune, and just stare.

Jaune kept walking to the edge of the pool, oblivious to the staring and quiet whispers around him. Only when he started to let Pyrrha down did he notice that they were currently the center of attention.

And then…

" _Pyrrha!"_

Ruby came flying forward in a flurry of damp rose petals, sweeping both Jaune and Pyrrha up in a tight, wet hug.

"Ruby!" said Pyrrha and Jaune simultaneously.

" _NORA!_ "

Jaune let out an "oof" as Nora delivered a running tackle to the hugging group, knocking him off-balance and making him tip forward over the edge.

"Nora! Wait! You're gonna kill Pyrrh _bblbabababablabh!"_

The rest of Ruby's protest descended into bubbly screaming, as all four huntsmen went into the water. The force of gravity and the sheer impact ripped Pyrrha out of Jaune's arms, sending her tumbling over underwater. Cold water flooded into Pyrrha's nose and mouth, and she blew out whatever breath she had managed to hold onto in an attempt to flush it out. Just as she was about to run out of air, a pair of strong arms wrapped beneath her shoulders, joined by another pair of arms that hoisted her up to the surface.

Pyrrha gasped and coughed, panting for breath. She saw the wet, sopping form of her partner keeping her above the water on her left, joined by Beagle on the right. Her arms were slung over their shoulders, keeping her head well above the water as Nora and Ruby swam over.

"Are you okay?" asked Ruby, silver eyes full of concern. Even Nora, normally so bubbly and exuberant, looked sheepishly at her teammate.

Then Pyrrha did something no one expected.

She laughed.

A loud, long, sweet-sounding laugh filled the air, as the Mistrali Huntress laughed harder than she had in months. Nora's usual energy soon returned, and she joined the laugh as she nuzzled Pyrrha's forehead with her own. Jaune joined next, then Ruby, and then Beagle. Pyrrha laughed louder and longer than any of them, panting so hard that tears formed in her eyes.

"So I guess you're - blubblbl- okay?" asked Ruby, who was laughing so hard she was struggling to keep her head above water.

"I'm fine," wheezed Pyrrha, "In fact, I'm better than fine. I'm... _happy._ I missed this. I missed all of this so much. I...thank you…"

Jaune kissed her sopping wet hair. "Anytime, Pyr."

"Anything for you, Ares," said Beagle, ruffling her bangs.

"So, wanna see who can stay under the longest?" said Nora with a dangerous grin, "I'll bet a champion like you can stay under for a _really_ long time."

To Nora's surprise, Pyrrha took on a grin to match her own.

"You're on. Though I'll have to ask Jaune to hold my nose shut."

Jaune chuckled. "Just blow bubbles out of your mouth when you want to come up. Beags, can you supervise?"

"Sure thing, kiddo."

"Wait!" Ruby. "We should time it!"

"My scroll is on my left cheek," said Yang as she lazily floated over, "It's waterproof, so go ahead and pull it out."

"Yang, your swimsuit doesn't have pockets."

"I never said anything about pockets, did I?"

" _YANG!"_

As the chaos and fun resumed around her, a single thought crossed Pyrrha's mind.

This was XCOM.

This was her family.

This was _home._

* * *

A/N: As I mentioned last time, if any of you have an idea for a submission to this project, _please_ drop by the Discord server and say hi. Even if you don't have anything you want to write, swing by anyway. It's always nice to see some new faces.


	3. All the Color of Paris: Part One

A/N: Alright, so this is the first part of an (in my opinion) impressive foray into the relationships between Ruby, Weiss, Vahlen, and Annette. It's super-fluffy, a lot of fun, and a fascinating character study of four great characters. I do feel it's important to note that the author, Gryffen, injected a little more WhiteRose into the characterization than I would have myself, but that's part of why I'm enjoying TftAvenger so much. It's really cool to get different takes on the material, and I greatly enjoyed reading this from start to finish.

Side note, while I dialed back some of the shipping to keep this chapter more inline with the characterizations I've made in RW/RU, Gryffen is posting the original version of his chapter to his own fanfiction profile. If WhiteRose is your jam, head over to his profile to have it kicked up a notch.

* * *

 **Title:** All the Color of Paris

 **Author:** GryffenOfSannGal

Try as she might, she couldn't help but let a genuine grin brush her lips. She felt her heart leap up in her chest for a moment when she drew the ruby silk up over her fair skin. While vibrant red normally wasn't her color, tonight was a special occasion for them, and all four of them agreed to step out of their normal comfort zones to embrace something new and invigorating. Another gentle tug of the silk, and then her slim fingers artfully smoothed down the fabric with practiced ease she had developed over the years. Weiss smiled at her reflection.

Shifting her shoulders side to side, Weiss took another minute to admire and assess her current selection of fashion. Truly a new venture for her, the ruby silk dress was sleek, form-fitting, and elegant. A simple v-neck dropped to the base of her chest, highlighted with short sleeves. From there, the seamless flow of fabric led any viewer's eyes down to her slender hips and to the neatly tucked hem below her knees. With another grin, she turned about to inspect the sleek full back. While she missed her typical battle-skirt, she had to admit right now she beat most debutantes from Atlas at their own game. Everything about her screamed classy, bold, business-savvy, and a little worldly. Truly, she should have considered this kind of gown years before.

She still held her long white tresses in a high ponytail. Tonight, her ponytail was centered on her head by a gleaming silver hair-clip that was studded with a half-dozen sapphires and highlighted a thumb-sized ruby. Another sly grin graced Weiss's lips, and for some reason she couldn't help feel a few memories jolt into her head a/bout the fact that she kept her hair long mostly on Ruby's advice. … and preference. After a second to ponder that thought, Weiss banished the idea out of her head. It wasn't even relevant for tonight. All that mattered is that she, Ruby, Annette, and Moira were _finally_ in Paris.

That's right, she thought with a bright, pleased smile on her face. _Moira_ was joining them tonight for the paramount night in Paris. Not Dr. Vahlen. Not X-COM's Head of Science. Tonight it was just _Moira_.

Weiss couldn't help but giggle at that, and she did NOT giggle (often). While she was certain Dr. Vahlen was likely in state of near panic right now, Weiss was also certain her newest, dearest, and most unexpected friend wasn't going to back out, either. Dr. Vahlen had already joined Weiss, Ruby, and Annette over the past few days in their month-long romp through France and Germany, and even been their host and guide several times in some of the most carefree days Weiss had ever known. And though she admitted to Weiss that she was hesitant and apprehensive, Dr. Vahlen appreciated how much tonight would mean to all of them, and Weiss knew she wouldn't let them down.

A rapid triple-knock on the door jolted Weiss out of her thoughts. Eyes on the door, she didn't need to be psionic to detect Ruby's familiar presence.

"Come on in, you dunce," she drawled.

The door popped halfway open and Ruby's gleeful face poked out immediately. "Maybe I should change my callsign to that, considering how often you say it," Ruby playfully snarked in return. Ruby's happy grin dropped an instant later, replaced by wide-eyed awe.

"Whoa," she breathed.

Weiss would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she was both pleased and suddenly, unexpectedly embarrassed by Ruby's open admiration. A faint blush briefly colored her cheeks before she reigned in her composure and nodded to Ruby with a smile. "Like I said, you can come in, you know," She teased. "You _were_ invited. Besides, you've seen me hundreds of times before."

"Yeah, but never like this," Ruby breathed in hushed awe, her eyes gliding up and down Weiss' gown.. Silver eyes sparkled brilliantly. Weiss smirked, satisfied with herself, only to find herself also taken back with unexpected delight.

Ruby stepped inside the room. … no, it was more accurate to say Ruby actually glided inside. Weiss found it was her turn to feel her eyes go wide and her words catch in her throat.

A part of her brain chided herself, reminding Weiss that it was _her_ own suggestion that Ruby try on the sapphire gown.

"Wow. Impressive," Weiss whispered.

It was Ruby's turn to blush in satisfaction. "I can run faster than the eye can see, I've shot grenades out of the air without targeting assistance, I've hewed a Mechtoid in half with a single swipe, and yet putting on a _dress_ is what you call 'Impressive'?" Ruby teased. "I am so screwed."

Weiss rolled her eyes with a grin, but she was genuinely in awe of how elegant Ruby looked. The way the deep midnight-blue made her partner's dark hair even more lustrous yet bring out the red highlights in her hair was captivating. She wasn't just Ruby, the well-meaning dork who bumbled her way through her first semester at Beacon, she was … Miss Rose, an enchanting young heroic woman who looked every bit like she came from the starry sky itself.

"I'm serious, Ruby," Weiss confessed, brightly. "When we saw that gown two nights ago, I just knew it was the right one for you."

Ruby giggled. 'But it's got no sleeves!" she whined, but the smile she wore while twirling in that dazzling gown betrayed her true feelings on Weiss's choice.

"It _has_ no sleeves!" Weiss playfully corrected, complete with a chiding index finger. "And that's not entirely true. Just look at you."

Weiss stepped forward and gently pinched the sapphire wrappings draped on Ruby's arms, and used them to glide Ruby about. The formal training ingrained in Weiss's memory kicked in as she led Ruby about the carpet of their resort hotel room. It was almost dance-like as she methodically critiqued Ruby.

"The high-stem collar shows off your shoulders, while covering your chest, and it gives your body a natural grace while providing a lot of modesty. I know you're not used to such high-fashion-"

"Nooo, I am _not_ ," Ruby drawled.

Weiss continued on without missing a beat. "But if you take it slow, just like I showed you, you're going to dazzle them. You're dazzling _me._ "

Ruby arched a brow and grinned. Those sparkling silver eyes caught Weiss's gaze. 'I dazzle you?" she said with that adorable grin.

"Ahem!" Weiss said. She led Ruby by the sapphire arm wrappings to turn about and then face the full-length mirror. "As I was saying, just as we all agreed, everyone is trying something new tonight. Something that we never tried before, but looks good on us. You've worn black and red so long, it's past time to break out into something that compliments who you are. See? The matching arm-wraps give you both the effect of keeping you arms free while also gracing you with style and modesty. It's rather regal. The floor length gowns mean that even if you feel nervous, no one can tell if your knees shake. Once you realize that, then you know you _can't_ look bad, and then you have them all in the palm in your hand."

Ruby's sidelong smirk turned back to Weiss. " _All_ of them?' she teased.

Weiss playfully huffed and let go of the wrappings to lightly shove Ruby's shoulder. 'Yes, _all_ of them," she asserted. "We're going to be the four most dazzling women in all of Paris tonight. Ha! Look at me! I _never_ thought I could get away with wearing scarlet! And you look like you're wearing starlight."

Ruby's merry gaze suddenly turned serious as she turned slowly from the full-length mirror to face Weiss directly, her eyes searching Weiss's.

"You really think-" Ruby began, then cut herself off. "Wow. … Weiss, I've … I've never heard you – never heard anyone talk about me like that. Like … poetry."

Weiss found she suddenly had to swallow a dry lump in her throat when Ruby looked into her eyes with such sincere emotion. Despite the naive, almost puppy-like personality that she'd come to expect from her partner, moments like these reminded Weiss that Ruby carried with her an honest, beautiful soul. For now, she settled on rolling her eyes again and giving Ruby another playful shove.

"Look, you dunce, it's a compliment, and a genuine one at that, for my best friend. For someone who helped save the world, learn to take it. You'd think you'd have more self-confidence by now."

Ruby smirked and took a step forward to grin in Weiss's face. "That's because _we_ helped save the world – all of us." She tapped her index finger a few times on Weiss in emphasis, then broke out into a wide grin. "You know, I never get tired of thinking about it. We saved a whole world!"

Weiss found herself sharing Ruby's grin. "I know. Isn't it cool?"

"It feels like a dream," Ruby admitted, though still giddy. "And this past month-"

"I know," Weiss purred. "I love Remnant, but seeing Earth – finally – it's just so … It's like..!"

Ruby's grin grew. They both reflexively intoned together, "A fairytale."

When the door opened again in a few seconds later, Annette found them both sprawled on the queen-sized bed, giggling with peels of laughter.

"Pardonnes moi, mon amie," Annette began, "have you seen.." She dropped her question when she glanced inside and witnessed both of teenagers quivering on the plush mattress, their musical laughter unfettered.

"Really," Annette drawled, chastising. She slipped inside the door and folded her arms to shake her head slowly in bemusement.

"Oh, Annette!" Ruby managed between gasps in her laughter. "I'm sor- he he! So sorry! Weiss and I-"

"We just got wrapped up in the moment, ha ha!" Weiss finished, managing to sit up and wipe a few tears out of her eyes. "Oh Dust, that felt good."

Annette merely continued to shake her head with a satisfied grin. She gently closed the door behind her and strode easily toward the plush bed where Ruby and Weiss had their gigglefit. "Be that as it may," she said in that soft accent which turned "that" into "zat," "we _are_ facing a short time-table. Dr. Va- Moira is in need of more assistance."

"More?" Ruby drawled playfully. "Awww."

Weiss couldn't help but grin, though she immediately felt a deep pang of sympathy for whatever Moira must be facing. "Of course," she said with a nod. She sat up, smiled, and took a moment to marvel at Annette's gown. "You look stunning, Annette. A perfect choice."

Annette planted her hands on her hips and tilted her chin to the right to grin back at Weiss. The effect was amazing. What it did most was emphasize Annette's slender waist and make the glossy amethyst fabric even more sparkly.

"Mon Dieu, your friends are right," she quipped. "You're even more the fashion police than conceivably possible."

Weiss grinned more, easily spotting Annette's words were without heat. Amazing to think that even a year ago, Weiss might have taken offense. Not tonight, though. Besides Annette's selection was also a sight to behold.

"I'm serious," Weiss began as she nimbly hopped up off the plush mattress and nimbly offered and arm to help Ruby up. "I knew you said you also picked a gemstone tonight, but-"

"She's right," Ruby quickly asserted. "Whatever color of shiny purple is, it looks _great_ on you! And that sash and those sleeves! You look like a queen!"

Chuckling, Weiss rolled her eyes heavenward. "Ruuuuby," she chided. "You're going to _have_ to learn- "

Giggling, Ruby snatched up Weiss's elbow and tucked their arms together. "Later, Weiss," Ruby sweetly insisted. "I'll learn about colors and fashion later! Not tonight. We look great, we're in Paris, and you're right. This is gonna be the BEST night ever."

"Mais oui," Annette supplied and tucked in Ruby's other arm before she stepped forward to opened the door wide. "Our enchanted evening awaits. No more delays! Come, come! Allons-y!"

The glamorous trio made no attempts to hide their joyful laughter as sauntered down the hall to the second door over. The ornate, heavy wooden door was painted spotless white. Weiss approved. With a few simple, regal beats of her knuckles, Weiss knocked on the door.

Weiss had to suppress a groan when she was awarded with a nervous, high-pitched stammer. "Ich- A mo – I – nein, I – I mean – Oh, a moment, _please_!"

"Moira," Weiss soothed. "It's us."

"Oui, ma chère," Annette supplied. "One fashion first-aid ici! Stat!"

Weiss and Ruby giggled when they heard a rapidly approaching rustle of satin. "Mein Gute, this is a nightmare," Moira Vahlen grumbled through the door. The strident sound of two locks being unbolted resounded, and then the door flung open with no one immediately visible.

Dr. Vahlen's muffled, defeated sigh came from behind the opened door. "Come in," she bemoaned.

Annette boldly strode through with Weiss and Ruby right behind. Weiss sucked in the momentary dread she felt and steadied herself for whatever sight had to be behind the now closed door. By the way Moira's voice mewed with sadness, she expected a horrible cosmetic failure or worse. Instead …

"Oh, Moira," she giggled.

"Stop, stop!" Moira softly sobbed. "It's awful!"

Her normally pale skin was tinted scarlet, made even more evident by the flowing turquoise gown. Moira Vahlen held one hand to her face to shield her embarrassment, while the other hand valiantly squeezed down one side of her hair which was sticking almost straight out. Weiss tried desperately to keep a serious face. The tears welling in Moira's eyes tugged out pity from Weiss's heart, even as she struggled with herself to keep from laughing.

Sadly, neither Ruby nor Annette made any attempt to keep from giggling. Ruby managed to squeeze her face tight to keep herself from speaking. Annette? Not so much.

"My dear doctor," Annette playfully teased. "If you must continue experiments with electricity, I sincerely hope you conduct them on someone other than yourself."

"This is not funny!" Moira nearly sobbed.

Annette chuckled softly, her wide smile showing her amusement. "Oh, but it is, my dearest doctor," Annette drawled, but with a strong tone of sympathy. "But come. You are correct. This must be attended. And we _can_ aid her, n'est ce pas mes amies?"

"Definitely," Ruby affirmed with a nod. She also paused a heartbeat, hopeful that Annette or Weiss could help with such cosmetic matters, because _she_ certainly had no clue.

Thankfully, Weiss was all too ready and able to help. "Of course," she soothed, starting first by gently taking Dr. Vahlen's left arm and guiding her to a plush red chair perched next to the brightly-light vanity. "Truly, Moira, it's not as bad as it looks."

Weiss paused and smirked when she caught Dr. Vahlen's skeptical look. "Do you doubt my judgment, Dr. Vahlen?"

"Nein, but … look at it!" she protested. She patted her hand vigorously on the free-standing hair to prove her point.

Giving a pointed smirk at Ruby and Annette who took the opportunity to snicker softly again, Weiss merely smiled and shook her head. "Doctor," she intoned. She smiled to herself when the rational, professional tone she and Moira often adopted when on a project together performed as she hoped. Moira glanced up sidelong, skeptical, but hopeful. With another soothing sigh, Weiss began.

"First and foremost, as a scientist you are aware that energy exists in all things, and that reactions are common when certain forces connect." Weiss coached as she gently plucked up a bottle of static remover and dabbed a fair share into a small, dry towel. She slowly, methodically began to brush down the fidgeting woman's fair hair. "Remember some of the first lessons you taught me. Rubber when steadily brushed against fur or hair builds up…"

"A charge of static electricity, which is a source of magnetism," Moira finished somberly. Weiss smiled, steadily gliding the damp hand towel down her nervous friend's hair, pleased not only as the hair immediately began to defrizz, but that Moira was starting to fidget less.

"Correct," she confirmed. "The first step is to neutralize the static charge with a dampening agent, which in this case is more than just water. Once the static charge is removed, we take care to guide the hair back into its natural flow."

"Spoken like a true scientist," Annette playfully teased.

"She loves to talk nerdy," Ruby quipped, a wide grin on her face. "But only in private with someone she likes."

"Guys!" Weiss whined.

"Be at ease, my friend," Moira quietly piped up. "You are correct. Already you work wonders. And not just my misbegotten hair. Danke dir."

Weiss smiled tenderly as she finished stroking down Moira's shoulder length hair, and carefully reached for a bottle of spritz and a long brush. "I am glad to help," was all Weiss said at first as she gently, methodically redirected Moira's hair to part over her right eye. The small right portion of the dusky blonde hair was tucked back behind the scientist's ear while the majority of the now sleek hair flowed over to the left side of her head, framing Moira's face.

"You're a beautiful woman, Moira," Weiss said carefully as she continued to sculpt her friend's hair. "I know you prefer to prove yourself as a brilliant mind and a scientist, and you have, but like all of us there is so much more about you. You _are_ beautiful. It's long since time you treated yourself. I'm just … glad you let us be around when you did."

Moira gazed up at Weiss, using the mirror to send a bittersweet smile. "Who else would I go with? Nein, you three are among my best friends."

Weiss was about to gently console Moira when Annette's bright laughter took them all by surprise. "What was that for?" she asked.

After a chuckle, Annette held up a hand and shook her head. 'Pardonnez moi, mes amies, I mean no insult. The opposite! Do you not see it, non?"

Weiss and Moira shared confused frowns. "See what?"

"You two!" Annette passed her finger back between the two of them. "Do you not see it? You are like mother and daughter."

"What?" Weiss yelped in time to Moira's, "Meine Gute!" Weiss's hand froze in midair as she boggled. "How can _I_ be her mother! Look at us!"

That only made Annette laugh even harder. "You really don't see it, do you?" Annette shook her head and even Ruby giggled softly at the reactions of everyone. Annette merrily nodded to both of them again. "So close you do not even see it. Non, my friends, if I may wax poetic, it is a familiar story of a professional and devoted single mother…" Annette paused to motion to Dr. Vahlen. "… who found herself with child. But instead of yielding to pressure, she boldly raises her daughter alone. She steels her heart, and plunges into her profession, not only for herself, but to bring a better life for her beloved daughter whom she must see so little." With a grin, she motioned to Weiss.

Weiss and Moira could only stare back at Annette, dumbfounded. Ruby spoke up first. Her voice was tinged with confusion, but also a measure of comprehension.

"Soooo … you're kind of seeing the two of them … as they could be? In … some sort of other reality?"

"Oui," Annette quipped. "It is not difficult to see, either." She motioned back to Weiss and Moira who started back at Annette and Ruby with stunned expressions that slowly started to match each other. "Many times I have seen it occur in today's world. I am certain you have witnessed it, too? Non? The brilliant, professional mother, isolating herself to provide more and more for the daughter she adores, but as years pass she finds she can not relate. For the daughter has grown on her own. And as the daughter grew, she resents the distance, thinking the mother has chosen the career over her own daughter."

Weiss pressed her lips into an angry glower that she shot back to Annette, even as she somehow managed to gently style Moira's hair. Before she could bite back a snide comment, Annette continued.

"Non, mon amie! I say this with no ill will, for I _have_ seen this often! And I have seen how as the daughter matures, in time she grows and sees the sacrifices. She sees the truth of her mother's love, and then there is reconciliation, and more. And now socially-gifted daughter shares such joys with her mother and invites her mother back into her life. Her mother now reconciles with the daughter she's always loved. How many times have I seen a fair daughter brushing her mother's hair, like you do now."

Weiss tucked her head away quietly. Something tightened in her throat, and she had to swallow hard. Her hands trembled as she finished up her last strokes on Moira's hair. A queasy tingle squirmed inside and she fought hard to keep any trace of a blush from her face. She could tell she succeeded. Ruby and Annette never commented. And yet, when she glanced into the mirror, she found Moira's eyes waiting for her. Her heart froze. She dreaded a reply. Instead Moira kept silent. … and gave her one of the sweetest, most grateful smiles Weiss had ever received in her entire life. Weiss held her own silence while Ruby and Annette chatted another minute about much she and Dr. Vahlen did indeed act like parent and teenage child. Keeping Moira's gaze, she gently squeezed the woman's shoulder. For a moment, she found Moira's warm hand tenderly returning her touch.

Weiss wasn't sure how long that moment would last. To her relief, she heard Ruby breathe out, 'Whooooa," in a tone of awe. Weiss glanced up again to realize both Annette and Ruby were admiring her handiwork on Moira. She had been watching the results, but even she had to smile in satisfaction.

Instead of her usual white-and-green labcoat, Moira Vahlen sat before the bright lights of the vanity, her fit body was draped in a flowing turquoise gown that hung off her full-sleeved left shoulder and exposed her right. The formfitting gown snuggled her slim waist and flowed effortlessly down to her feet. Weiss was well aware the such a gown would likely make Moira feel more uncovered, so she provided arm-length matching gloves. Only her shoulder and right arm were bare, which was still enough for Moira to quietly lament.

"It still feel so…. exposed."

"You look stunning, mon ami," Annette encouraged and offered her hands to guide Moira to stand.

"They're right!" Ruby supported. "You look amazing! You're so glamorous!'

With a tender hand, Weiss helped Annette guide Moira to her feet. "It suits you," she declared. "It's modern, yet sophisticated and elegant. The turquoise matches your eyes and compliments your hair and skin."

"I'll say," Ruby piped up. "It makes her skin glow!"

Weiss tossed Ruby a wink and an appreciative nod. "I recommend we begin tonight's festivities?"

With a smile, Annette slipped her right arm around Ruby's left arm, then tucked Moira's right arm around her left. "Oui! We dally! Allons-y!"

Several minutes of well-meaning banter and teasing later, the glamourous quartet found themselves out the front doors of the hotel and before a waiting limousine. Annette smirked.

"You couldn't resist."

Annette only gave a smug smirk. "Non," she quipped, and flung open the rear door.

"So where exactly are we going?" Ruby chimed from where she playfully bounced on the plush backseat. "Not that I would know anyway."

Annette's pleased smirk never faded. She templed her fingers together and caught her three conspirators with her eyes. "While I could bore you with the details, we are en route to La Maison Chic."

While Weiss and Ruby returned puzzled glances, Moira shook her head. "As sheltered as I am, even I know there is no such place. It is a myth."

Annette's eyes twinkled. "Mais bien sur."

"One of these days I'm going to sequester myself and force myself to learn French," Weiss groused.

"She said, 'But of course,'" Ruby summarized.

Weiss boggled at Ruby.

"It's the plus side of this," Ruby explained, tapping the side of her head. "Coupled with spending more time with Maj… er, Annette in practical psionic studies. When thoughts are close enough, you can start to learn native languages. I'm still … stumbling with most of French, but its patterns are coming naturally now." She paused and added sheepishly, "I'm starting to understand Spanish and Russian, too."

"C'est vrai," Annette chimed in. "While joined minds must exhibit caution, it is natural that … comfortable memories are shared. There's a small waterfall in Patch I simply must see for myself."

Weiss let her baffled expression turn into one of bemused irritation. "I keep saying this, Ruby, and I mean it. If one more accident or alien assault blesses you with more otherworldly powers, I swear I'm going to find some way to reassemble that Hyperwave Relay into a dimensional portal, transport me to whatever God is out there, and complain about this personally."

Ruby had the good grace to blush sheepishly. "…. Sorryyyyy?"

Moira heaved a long suffering sigh. "That still doesn't answer the question where we are going."

Annette smirked all the more. "Then you will have to just wait and see. At the very least, I believe I have earned a small measure of trust? Non?"

Weiss shared apprehensive glances with Moira and Ruby, but only found cautious grimaces.

Ruby piped up. "Well, you've been stellar so far, so … no real reason to back out now."

"Trust me," Annette said with a smile.

The four women chatted quietly while the limousine toured Paris. Even though they had spent over a week in the famous city of lights, Ruby and Weiss found themselves compelled to gaze out the windows and gawk. Even though she had grown accustomed to the glitz of social high life, Weiss couldn't deny Paris dazzled.

"There's nothing like it," she whispered.

"It only gets better," Annette assured with glee.

When the limousine turned into a spacious, yet non-descript parking garage, the others started to question that boast.

"Um … not quite the center of glamour I thought it would be."

Instead of speaking, Annette tapped a knuckle twice on the window to the driver. Without a concern, she waited until the driver opened up the door then beckoned for everyone. "Coming?" she teased.

"But it's just a garage," Ruby said.

"At first glance, yes, but wait a second," Annette grinned brightly, then laughed heartily. Weiss and Ruby shared puzzled glances.

"What was that for?"

"It's a quote from "Singing in the Rain." It's a musical." Moira explained. There was a pause as the others stared at her. "What? I have more passions than just my collection of Disney."

"Bah!" Annette laughed. "We dally! Come!"

Annette marched with smug delight toward a trio of burly men, all in auto-detailer pullovers, and huddled around nearly spotless white Saab. The three men continued their silent polishing as they peered up at the glamourous woman strutting up to them as it everything was natural as walking up to counter of a coffee shop and ordering a latte.

She nodded to a pair of non-descript metal double-doors behind them. "I belong in there," she told them.

They looked at her stone-faced. An uncomfortable silence persisted. Annette leaned on her hip and smirked. Something felt … off to Weiss. She couldn't fully explain it. Besides the apparent insanity of such a regally-dressed woman striding up to such men, she had to wonder why three rather well-built men were consistently polishing a luxury car in some multi-level garage.

And that's when it hit her. Why _would_ they be there? "Wait…"

Before she could finish her thought, one of the three men silently broke off from the others and marched to the double-doors. He flipped out a large set of keys that jangled. Without a word, he unlocked the door with an assured flick of his wrist, then tugged one of them open to reveal a lighted, sterile, yet much cleaner fifteen foot hallway.

"This is all part of the—"

Annette silenced Weiss with firm, "Shh!" and an upraised hand. Smirking, she folded the fingers down to present a cautioning index finger, then a few seconds later she beckoned slyly.

Perplexed, but trusting, Weiss, Ruby, and Moira followed Annette as she swept her way into the short hallway and waited for the first set of double doors to close behind them.

"My apologies, mes amies, but as you can conclude by now, there is a respect of secrecy here. While it is doubtful anyone heard, it is better safe than sorry," Annette explained with a dazzling smile.

"The Maison Chic is real?" Moira sputtered.

"Since **L'Exposition Universelle** , ma petite," Annette purred with glee.

" _What_?!"

"I'm missing something here."

"Wait," Ruby spoke up. Her silver eyes gleam with confusion, yet with a slowly building realization. "That tower. The massive one in the park that's over a hundred years old and a thousand feet tall. This place has been here since _that_ long!"

"Ah ah ah!" Annette corrected with a smile and a wagging index finger. "I did not say it was here. I said that it has existed since then. But come. We dally. And the while the staff is gracious, they do not care for those who linger." She nodded her chin to ceiling.

Double-clapping her hands, Annette turned to the double-doors on the other end of the small hallway. She halted there and politely knocked. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the doors began to slowly part. From the moment the doors cracked open, giddy music abounded, lights twinkled, and the nonstop clatter of bustling crowds resounded.

Even Weiss found herself taken back.

"Whoa."

The doors parted wide to reveal a massive, glitzy banquet hall that spanned well over two hundred yards. An upper balcony and an elevated dining section framed the gilded grandeur with sturdy, detailed white columns. Glass and crystal abounded, refracting the many lights constantly, yet gently. All around, people chattered and grinned, dining festively as prim-minded staff bustled about. It would have been considered snobbish if it hadn't been for the fact place exuded congeniality. Formal dress and cheery colors flourished, yet here, there, and everywhere some of the most casual and even 'common' people could be seen brushing elbows and dialoguing with the same ease as anyone else in the room.

" _Bonsoir,_ " a sensuous baritone spoke up from their left. Weiss slowly peered around to lay eyes on one of the most _gorgeous_ brown-eyed men she had ever seen in her life. " _Bienvenue à La Maison Chic. Puis-je savoir combien de personnes sont dans votre groupe?_ »

" _Quatre, s'il vous plaît, et nous avons une_ _réservation_ _,_ " Annette replied easily. " _Aussi si vous pouviez, en anglais, pour mes amies._ " She lazily motioned to Weiss, Ruby, and Moira with her left hand.

The well-built, browned hair gentleman returned a merry grin and a playful wink. It made Weiss's heart flutter, though she would never admit to it. Oh God, he was built! His voice held on to the European purr as he switched to English. "And what lovely companions they are. I am Pierre. Welcome to Paris. May I have the name of the reservation?"

"Annette Durand," Annette proclaimed. "I believe Antwon still sponsors me?"

The far-too-appealing Pierre grinned pleasantly in return. Weiss noticed a particular twinkle in his eyes as he gazed on Annette. She might have to mention it later. "After this evening, I believe a sponsor is no longer required, Capitaine Durand. Your service – and your presence – are quite welcome."

"I'll bet," Annette purred, resting a hand on a slender hip. Weiss didn't need to be psychic to detect the subtle sex appeal. She tried not to roll her eyes too much.

The man didn't seem offended. If anything, he gently laughed. "If I may have the names of your companions? If anything, I believe that you are now _their_ sponsor."

Weiss was a bit chagrined to realize the maitre'd had a tablet in his hand. Instead of chastising herself for missing an obvious detail, Weiss instead summoned up her lifelong etiquette training. With practiced grace, she stepped forward. "I am Weiss Schnee," she announced. Feeling smug, she completed her greeting with a simple, yet graceful curtsey.

The maitre'd returned a bright smile and a bow of his head. "Enchanté."

"Hi," Ruby cheerfully greeted, stepping forward. "I'm Ruby Rose." Weiss was pleased to witness Ruby repeating a similar curtsey.

"Si adorable!" Pierre offered a gracious bow to Ruby. Predictably, she blushed, but instead of cringing, she shared a wink with Weiss.

Weiss was equally pleased when Moira stepped forward without missing a beat. With a grace that Weiss taught her, Moira offered her gloved hand and said, "Guten Abend. Ich bin Moira Vahlen. Danke für Ihre Gastfreundschaft."

Pierre arched an amused brow again. He slyly winked at her before sweetly kissing her hand. "Sie sind herzlich willkommen." Keeping his Moira's hand in his, he turned to Annette. "Tout a fait, des amies charmantes."

"En anglais, mon cher," Annette teased. "D'ailleurs, il n'est pas poli de flirter avec un mère devant sa fille."

Ruby immediately snorted a laugh and shot Annette glare of amused astonishment.

"What did she say!" Weiss demanded.

Ruby slipped her hand on Weiss's hand while Moira managed to gracefully retrieve her hand from the maitre'd. Weiss noticed Moira looked as confused as she did. "I'll … tell you later," Ruby lamely offered. "I promise. It won't be as funny until later."

"One of these days, Ruby…"

"My apologies, my guests," Pierre soothed. "It is I who overreached his courtesy due such lovely guests. If you will forgive me of a faux-pas and follow me, I will lead you to your table. I assure you your evening in La Maison Chic will not disappoint by any means."

Annette grinned like an Academy Award winner. She swept her hands gracefully up to the air. "Just trust me, my friends. You'll never regret tonight. As some of my ancestors would have said, "Laissez les bon temp rouler!"

Ruby laughed gleefully at the words. Weiss heaved another bemused sigh and smirked at Ruby. "Go ahead. Translate at least that, you dunce.'

"Let the good times roll."

* * *

A/N: So one thing I want to point out with this chapter is that contributions to TftAvenger don't have to take place on Remnant. Winding back time to when the crew is still on Earth is totally acceptable, especially since there's still a lot of post-war stuff I never got the chance to touch on (like this). If anyone has a neat idea for a chapter, please swing by the Discord and show us what you've got!

As for the other parts (yes, _parts_ ) of All the Color of Paris, I think I want to space them out as I post updates to this project. So we'll swing back around to Paris soon, but not quite yet.


	4. Thunderbirds

A/N: Next chapter is another one of Vinpap's creations. He also asked if he could put in his own Author's Note, which made me realize that it doesn't make much sense to label my notes as an Author's Note, since I'm not really the author of these. In any case, I'll let Vin take it from here.

* * *

A.N. : 'Sup my homies. As you might have seen in the first chapter, I'm the mastermind behind the idea of this rendition of the Tales of the Avenger, because this story was inspiring me some ideas and I felt that I could do some fun stuff. I'm happy to see that it also inspired more people. Anyway, I hope you'll like the stories I have in store for you. Either to explore some stories about main characters (this is not one of those) or the adventures of the secondary/tertiary characters (this story is one of these) to flesh them out even more. If any of you know what the Thunderbirds are (not the actual birds, the other Thunderbirds) then you have an idea about what this story is about. If you don't… Well, you're about to find out!

* * *

 **Title:** Thunderbirds

 **Author:** Vinpap

"So, you never flew a Mako?"

"Nope. I served as a co-pilot during the fall for a bullhead, but otherwise? Never touched the controls of something like this before."

To say that he was impressed would have been putting it lightly. 8Ball had been piloting aircrafts and jets for a long time and had built up an impressive resume of frames from various countries. But this… this was something completely different. The layout of the controls, the various indicators for the telemetrics and armaments, everything was on a different model than what he was used to. But the raw power that these things had was amazing. It served as a jet, an attack craft, while also having room to serve as a dropship for the robots the atlesian army was fond of. With enough work, it would be relatively easy to retrofit it to have multiple other purposes.

"Jett, is everything alright?"

8Ball was grinning as he had a look at the multiple autocannons that the engineering team had installed on their new possession. A week before the Avenger had been repaired, Engineering had discovered and started to salvage an atlesian dropship they found junked in one of the cruiser's storage bays, which they later known was named as a DS-10 Mako. Since then, they had spent many weeks making repairs and modifications to the small craft. And with some help with an old valean pilot who helped them make sure that everything was working, it was now time for him to have his first flight. While flying with an Albatross suit was an amazing experience, nothing could even compare to flying a fighter jet and shooting down aliens with it. Well… maybe unless he was also able to surf on a Griffon like he had seen Annette do during the Fall… that MUST have been a fun experience.

"Jett, seriously, you're beginning to worry me here kiddo."

8Ball blinked once or twice as he felt a hand lay on his shoulder to shake him slowly. He turned his head and cursed under his breath when he reminded that Pierre was with him. And most importantly, he had forgotten about his codename. In the first days after the Fall, XCOM had realized how most their name didn't fit the naming convention in this world. As such, everybody had been given the task to come up with an alias for the duration of their stay on Remnant, to be used during interaction with the Remnant civilians. And what other name than Jett to fit as an alias for XCOM's ace pilot?

"Y-yeah Pierre don't worry. I'm just trying to take in everything I'm seeing right now. It's not everyday someone gets to fly in a military aircraft."

The old pilot laughed and nodded promptly, a smile on his lips as he looked at the new recruit. He had to admit, he probably had had the same reaction when he first got in the cockpit of his first Wasp, Vale's variant of the Mako. Pierre slowly sat back down on the top of the ladder he was on, next to the Mako, and he began to explain the control for the aircraft to the attentive recruit. It wasn't the first time he had to teach someone how to fly one of these things. It was his job for a while. But now, he wasn't doing it for someone to stay in reserve and never use those skills. He was doing it for someone who was about to fight on the frontline of a war. And so, he was going to make sure that his work was done in a perfect way. He may not have been the best pilot during his time in the military, but damn will he make sure to train the best pilot since the faunus war!

* * *

"Wait… You're my instructors?"

Firebrand was having a completely different experience than what 8Ball was having. First of all, she had absolutely no experience in one of these things whatsoever, having spent the Fall in one of the Albatross suit to help ferry people quickly throughout Vale. Secondly, she had not been expecting Yang Xiao Long and Reese Chloris to be designated as her instructors.

"What's the matter Firebrand? You think the younglings won't be able to teach you a thing or two?"

Yang was grinning at her, her arms crossed and eyebrow raised. She had ditched her usual huntress garb to wear a pilot uniform. Reese had done the same thing, even if it was simply put over her usual clothes, except of her trademark vest.

"I have been learning how to fly these things since my second to last year at Signal" pointed out Yang who slowly moved away from one of the bullhead they had managed to get from Atlas after the Fall as an proof of good will towards the people of XCOM.

"And my dad has been teaching me how to fly Bullheads since I was… 7 years old… I think? I don't remember much before those years so maybe I'm wrong?"

Firebrand looked at the two girls in front of her, her mouth opening and closing as she was trying to decide on what to say. She was equal part amazed at the two of them, equal parts worried about their teaching methods and equal part jealous. She wished she had been able to learn how to fly an aircraft since that age!

"Well pilot, you ready to learn how to fly your new baby?"

Without waiting for an answer, Reese turned around and opened the door to enter the bullhead and vanished inside of it, quickly making her way towards the cockpit. Firebrand quickly ran towards the bullhead with a smile and ducked around Yang to enter the bullhead. Smiling, the blonde operative simply shook her head as she saw the look on the older woman's face, reminding her of Ruby in a bakery or a weaponsmith.

* * *

"And so, what did we learn today?"

"That it's too early to try evasive maneuvers in the Bullhead and that it's not suited for loop-the-loop."

Defeated, Firebrand couldn't stop herself from sighing as she watched the engineering crew work on the bullhead to fix the small damage that she had done to it while flying a little bit too low. After a few weeks of learning the basics of flying a bullhead, she had decided that she wanted to try something a little bit fancier. While the bullhead was sturdier and more agile than other aircrafts of its size, it didn't have near the agility required to manage some of the high end maneuvers she was able to do in other aircrafts.

"To be fair… It was a pretty fun experience!"

"Says the girl who can walk on walls and didn't bounce everywhere in the cockpit while we were tumbling."

Reese simply grinned as she shrugged at Yang. While her semblance helped her quite a lot, she doubted that the other huntress suffered any damage in that moment as well. Their aura was more than enough to prevent any significant damage to be done to them. And it HAD been a fun experience despite the risk of death... Okay, maybe Arlsan was right and she needed to find some new hobbies, because near-death experience were not good things in the huntress line of work.

"Don't worry Phoenix! You'll manage to do some impressive feats one day!"

Everybody turned their head towards the voice and smiled when they saw Pierre walking their way with 8Ball in tow. XCOM's pilot had a smile on his face that threatened to hurt his cheeks in the long run, Yang thought with a smile. It only meant one thing.

"So, I take it you're finally allowed to fly on your own 8Ball?"

"You bet Reese! I'm so excited! Not that I don't enjoy Pierre's help and advice, but it's been so long since I've been able to fly a bird solo!"

Firebrand pouted as she heard how far 8Ball was ahead of her progress wise. They had spent the same amount of time training with their respective aircraft and she still had trouble with some aspects of the bullhead. She was able to fly it pretty easily, but the more high end maneuvers and the landing process were still being a pain for her. She had kids that were ten years younger than her teaching her and showing her easily how it was done and here she was, one of the few pilots for XCOM, having problems with landing a fucking transport.

"Hey kids, why don't you go fetch four or five other members? After Jett is done flying I want to see if we could do some adjustments to the Bullhead and the Mako's holding bays. We'll have to see if your big robots will be able to get in either of them."

Firebrand raised her head as she watched Yang and Reese leave and 8Ball wave to her before jogging towards his aircraft to do some last minute preps before his first solo flight. She smiled softly before sighing and getting up as well. She should probably make sure that the bullhead was ready to hold some people in it.

"You know… You shouldn't compare yourself to others. As someone who has no experience with any of the tech used in a bullhead, nor used at how to handle it, I'm actually impressed in how much you've improved in such a short amount of time."

Surprised, Firebrand looked behind her to see Pierre smile at her, his hands in his pockets. The older man slowly walked towards her and ran a hand over the bullhead's hull, a nostalgic look in his eyes.

"When I joined Vale's air force, I couldn't pilot a bullhead. It was too big and not agile enough for me. What I was used to flying when I grew up in Vacuo was a light craft, extremely agile and manoeuvrable. It was extremely fast but it could barely take a beating from a Griffin. The idea was to hit them fast and, most importantly, to not get it. At all."

Firebrand quirked one of her eyebrow as she watched the man explain his story. She was wondering why he was telling her this. While he had a point about not comparing herself with other people, why did he feel the need to point out that he was unable to fly the damn thing? Was he insinuating that she couldn't do it? That she wasn't cut out for the role?

"You see Phoenix, not every vehicle is made for anybody. Some people feel free on a motorcycle at hundreds of kilometer per hours on the highway, while other people prefer a slow drive on a bike in the middle of a park. If Jett was asked to pilot the Bullhead, I don't know how long it would have taken him before asking to be deployed on the ground. He's a thrill seeker. He can't fly slowly or calmly. He needs a fast craft with a lot of firepower. But you… You are perfect for flying a Bullhead. Especially a transport version. You are clear headed and don't panic in case of danger and always think about who's in your charge. You're used in this style of flying, am I right? You wouldn't be able to enter in dogfights with a flock of Griffon or Nevermore would you? You're more of a support pilot. You'll fly your comrades in and make sure that everybody can be flown back. So, how wrong am I?"

Slack jawed, Firebrand didn't know what to say. She didn't spend a lot of time with Pierre and still, here he was, psychoanalyzing her while being… quite spot on. Sure, he had made some mistakes in his assumption, but, overall? He wasn't that far from the truth. She was dedicated to the safety of her people and the fact that the Bullhead offered hovering capabilities and a powerful minigun in the front, allowing her to offer covering fire if the situation proved to be dire. And the bullhead was maneuverable enough to avoid a Nevermore if push came to shove. She nodded slowly with a smile and looked at the older man standing in front of her. He looked at her with a smile of his own and put a hand on her shoulder.

"When I joined the Valean Air Force, my commanding officer told me this little gem, so I'll say it to you as well. Your aircraft is an extension of your body, if you don't know it from head to tail, if you don't connect to it, you'll never be the best pilot you can be. Find the vehicle that fits your kind of flying. But I'm sure that your Commanding Officer and the other operatives made a great decision to nominate you as a their designated pilot for their missions. You have great potential. You simply need to compare you to your own self and not to what other people are capable. Now come, it's time to see how Jett will manage his first flight."

Firebrand nodded and smiled as she thought over what the older pilot had told her. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was worrying too much about everything. They could have chosen anybody to be the pilot for the bullhead and the Mako, but here she and 8Ball were, learning to be XCOM's initial air force. It was her duty to make sure the strike team got to their destination, and back, in one piece. She was going to have to do it in her bullhead, not in another aircraft, not in a Mako or anything else. A bullhead and it was going to be HER bullhead.

* * *

A few minutes later, many operatives and crewmembers of the Avenger stood on deck as 8Ball was was making sure that the last things were set up for his flight. Everybody was talking to each other until someone saw 8Ball waving at them. Quickly, everybody got in position, some with scrolls out. In the cockpit, 8Ball grinned as he pushed a button on his dashboard.

"Command, this is 8Ball, ready for take off."

"8Ball, this is Big Sky. You're free to take off when you're ready."

"Copy that, Big Sky. I'll be dusting off in just a few moments. But first… Penny?"

"Yes Captain?"

Grinning, 8Ball activated the thrusters on his aircraft, the low buzzing of the engines making him feel a bit more at ease as he began his take-off.

"Launch the Danger Zone protocols please."

"Affirmative Captain!"

On the tarmac, everybody cheered when the Mako began to take off. The various onlookers quickly began to shut up however when they heard music come out from the Avenger's flight deck comms. The terran operatives began to laugh when they recognized the first few guitar riffs. Before the first lyrics of the song could be heard, 8Ball was already in the air, flying around the Avenger.

 _Revvin' up your engine  
Listen to her howlin' roar  
Metal under tension  
Beggin' you to touch and go_

 _Highway to the Danger Zone_

 _Ride into the Danger Zone_

Firebrand looked up towards her fellow pilot and smiled as she watched him try various tricks in the air. Maybe it was about time for her to stop worrying so much and to have more fun with her own vehicle as well.

 _Headin' into twilight  
Spreadin' out her wings tonight  
She got you jumpin' off the deck  
And shovin' into overdrive_

 _Highway to the Danger Zone  
I'll take you right into the Danger Zone_

She had worried long enough on if she was good enough to fly the bullhead. It was time to show everybody of what she was really capable of. She might not have been the best jet fighter pilot, but she would be the best bullhead pilot Remnant had ever seen.

* * *

A/N ("Amish Note"): So one thing I want to take away from this chapter is the idea of the Avenger having a dogfighter aircraft. I've never mentioned it in Remnant Unknown proper, but seeing it here has tickled my fancy and made me realize that it would be a really good addition to XCOM's resources. The idea that one was hidden in the Avenger's hull isn't that far-fetched, either, since it's already been established that the ship was serving as the repair barge for Atlas's Vytal battlegroup. The Mako is a name that Vin came up with for the fighter/dropship hybrid that Ironwood uses in the show to fly down from Amity to Vale. Smaller than a Bullhead, but can still fit a couple of people along with the pilot.

Guess it's time for 8Ball to get back in the saddle.


	5. Coffee With CFVY

Amish Note: Aight, I've been looking forward to this chapter for a long time. Coco is one of my favorite side characters from RWBY, and it always bums me out that her team didn't get more attention ( _Until now. New book, whoooo!_ ). I've been meaning to give her more attention in RU, especially given the emotional baggage she's carrying now. So having a chapter like this added to TFTA? It's one of the reasons I love this spinoff project.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **Title:** Coffee with CFVY

 **Author** **:** Ramboing

Despite being in a profession defined by anomalies and wackiness, Tech Sergeant Lucian "Apollo" Price still managed to keep a regular schedule. Whether it was something he developed or something that was beat into him during his times in the Marines, he managed to always keep his daily life consistent. Mornings started off with a short workout, a quick breakfast, and the daily morning brief. The afternoon was filled with missions, training sessions, and other shenanigans usual to XCOM. Then finally the day wound down with personal time to relax, explore or generally unwind.

This particular afternoon had Lucian in a local coffee shop in Patch, a quaint little place. There were not many others in the shop, which made it the perfect environment for the interviews that Bradford wanted. Bradford, when going through all the new hunter teams, had decided that they all needed an XCOM "liaison" to help them settle in to life on the Avenger. Team ABRN were assigned Annette since she already had a close relationship with Arslan. MacAuley was given to Qrow and Taiyang because his rowdy nature was a perfect match. Other student teams and the few Huntsmen that joined them all worked out as well. That left team CFVY. Unlike the others, they were fairly new to XCOM, having only interacted with them during and after the Fall. Thus after some debate amongst the senior leadership, Price was volunteered as a good liaison. However, before he could do anything strategy or military wise, Bradford wanted a report on CFVY's capabilities and experiences. So for the past three days he had sat with Yatsuhashi, Velvet, and Fox individually to "interview" over some drinks. Each of them had presented their own set of interesting challenges and tidbits of insight into the group dynamic.

After he had ordered his drink, he laid out the collection of papers that he had gathered over the past few days. With some time before his last appointment, he decided to look over his notes for some insights on the final interview.

Yatsuhashi's interview was pretty normal. He had opted to have a cup of tea while answering the various questions. The questions ranged from basic ones such as semblance and weapon of choice while others were more complex such as goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Yatsuhashi kept his answers concise and to the point. So concise in fact that the interview lasted only about a half hour. Price wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Perhaps both?

Velvet's interview was actually quite enjoyable. During the entirety of it, Price questioned how such an adorable young girl could join a profession dedicated to fighting and killing nightmarish creatures. She felt so innocent and kind that it was hard to imagine that it was only weeks prior he'd seen her solo a squad of Atlesian Knights with ease and grace. Her interview began soft-spoken and mild, seemingly nervous to be talking to him. It had been difficult to tell if she was simply shy or worried about her fanus heritage. However, whatever nervousness she had initially slowly disappeared as time went on. Eventually Velvet was bubbling with energy, talking about her teammates, and her passions such as photography.

A memorable moment from the talk was when Price had asked her about her thoughts on her other teammates. He had wanted to start with her opinion their team leader; however, it seemed that Velvet completely misinterpreted the question, becoming extremely defensive and denying any sort of a relationship with Coco. The flustered reaction, red cheeks, and drooping ears said otherwise. Price just hid his smirk and added a minor note saying "potential relationship" next to Coco's name.

While Yatsuhashi was calm and collected and Velvet was bubbly and excited, Fox was brash and unfiltered. With his feet on the table and soda in hand, he answered most questions with either some kind of sarcastic remark or a quip about his blindness. It took every ounce of Price's patience not to go full Marine Corps on him and drop his ass. With white knuckles, he persevered and kept relatively calm.

Each interview with the first three members of team CFVY was unique, yet there was one common response. When asked about things that scare them they each mentioned one thing: a pissed off Coco Adel. They shared stories of how she once broke the arm of one of Velvet's bullies or how she kicked a Beowolf in the balls for destroying her favorite store. The image of confident, badass, minigun-wielding huntress that each of the three presented completely countered the image he had of her not so long ago. Last he saw of her, she was distraught, emotionally wrecked, and confused. While Apollo wanted to keep a fresh image of her for the interview, he could not help but think back on what he said previously.

* * *

Coco Adel found herself sprinting down the streets of Patch. She had missed her alarm in the morning and slept all the way until about noon. After frantically dressing she had arrived into town. But that quickly ended as she noticed the stares and hushed whispers as she walked down. It eventually got to the point where she sprinted back to the her room and changed into more discrete clothes: a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and her sunglasses. By that point she had only ten minutes to get to the cafe, a place she didn't know. She eventually found the place but was already late.

As she entered the shop Coco scanned around for the liaison guy she had to meet. She didn't know what the person looked like but knew his name was Lucian Price from the Scroll message. A waving hand caught her attention and beckoned her to a free seat. To her surprise, the hand belonged to a familiar face. "It's you! Apple or whatsit!"

The man's frown softened into a small smile. "It's nice to see you again, Miss Adel. I guess I didn't properly introduce myself when we met last time. I am Tech Sergeant Lucian ' _Apollo'_ Price. You can call me Price or even Apollo if you want."

"Just call me Coco. Only teachers use Miss."

"Right. Now Coco, as you know, I am your liaison for your time with XCOM. My job is to act as a go between for your team and Bradford, as well as to introduce to how we operate here. However, before we can really do anything, Bradford wanted me to first get to know each of you. So in order to accomplish that, I thought it would be best to start by asking you some questions, ok?"

Coco simply nodded along. While she didn't quite understand how an interview would help him get to know her, she decided it at least couldn't hurt.

"Sounds good."

Thus the questions began. For the first part Apollo liked to keep it to the very basic questions in order to dispel any nervousness. Coco, much to Apollo's surprise, was much more confident than back when he first met her; which wasn't to say there weren't any "cracks." Ever since she had stepped into her shop she hadn't taken off her sunglasses. He knew about her interest of fashion from Velvet, but he felt that there was something more to her choice to keep them on inside. On top on that, whenever the bell rang from the door, he couldn't help but notice that she actively ducked her head down while cautiously watching the newcomer. It was a subtle movement, something he only caught after the third or fourth time.

After all the simple questions were finished, it was time for the more open ended questions. While Bradford had given him a list of specific questions to ask for these, Apollo decided to lead off with a different one.

"Coco, how are you doing?"

Coco tilted her head at the question. "Uh… fine, I guess?"

The disapproving look from the operative signaled to Coco that her response wasn't fooling him.

"I'm going to ask you again. This time I want you to take off your glasses and be honest with me here."

She instantly froze at his request. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to fumble for an excuse, but the intense stare from the operative made her eventually relent. With a nervous swallow, she slowly removed her glasses. Behind the dark sunglasses, Coco's eyes gleamed slightly bloodshot. Underneath there were dark bags and all around it was puffy and swollen. She expected Apollo to gasp in shock and begin to worry, much like Velvet had over the past week; however, the operative only sighed.

"Not much sleep, huh?" he asked nonchalantly.

Coco looked away shamefully, choosing to stare at the floor rather than letting him see her like this and answer his question.

"Does your team know what's going on?"

His second question hit Coco hard. The strange part was how candid his question was. Unlike most anyone else, there wasn't any emotional attachment like pity to the question. It almost made the question worse, as if he truly knew. As much as she loved her team, there was no way they could understand what she was going through. And quite frankly she was too embarrassed to even bring it up. She was their fearless leader, she didn't have room for this to trouble her, much less them.

"Coco, I know you are going through a rough patch, but you have to talk to me."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Coco, please…."

Coco didn't know what it was exactly, but something about Apollo hit a nerve. Here was this guy she only met once, acting like he knew what she was going through. She wasn't the type to snap at her superiors, but the combination of the stress from the past week and her lack of sleep caused her to lose her patience. All the pent up emotions, the stress, and the shame that had bottled up in her exploded in a single outburst.

"Don't fucking 'Coco' me! What the hell do you know? I actually killed people! Innocent people! At least 120 people are dead because of what I did. _You_ just couldn't do what you had to do! So stop acting like we are similar in any way. Unless you killed hundreds of people and caused the worst disaster on your planet I don't care about your fucking sister!"

The words came out before she could process them. Between her sleep addled mind and her rage, she had let herself erupt without thinking. Turning her head away she quickly wiped away the tears and put her sunglasses back on. After looking down in the hope that she could just disappear from the cafe, she felt a hand on her shoulder. In front of her was not of a face of anger or resentment, it was just sadness. There was a long pause as both parties began to process what had been said. Before Coco could say anything, Apollo spoke up with a soft smile first.

"You want some ice cream?"

"Wait w-"

"I found a good ice cream shop close by here. Come on, I'll treat ya."

Before she could argue, Coco had found herself on a park bench across town waiting for Apollo to come back. The entire way there the two walked in silence with the only exchange being about preferred ice cream flavor. While she waited for him, she tried her best to come up with some sort of apology. Her train of thought was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a vanilla ice cream cone. After a sheepish thank you, another long period silence returned with the occasional slurp of ice cream from Apollo breaking the silence.

"I'm sorry."

The words caused Coco to nearly drop her cone. She stared at the operative in shock only to find the same look of sadness from earlier.

"It's honestly my fault that you exploded. I didn't take into account what you were going through and what happened to you, and it was quite frankly idiotic for me to pressure you into talking about it. The memory must still be fresh for you, and I should have realized that. I guess I got overzealous in trying to help you, thinking that it would fix the mistakes I made in my own past. It was selfish of me to think that and it ended up hurting you more."

Apollo took a second to both allow him to have another lick at his ice cream cone and let his apology sink in before he continued.

"However I will say this. While the events that brought us here might be different, that doesn't mean our grief and regret is different. At the end of the day we are all people, which means we all have the same feelings. We all feel happiness, anger, and even sadness. And the steps we take to process them are the same, too. That's what I wanted to get across. Not that I know what it feels like to do what you did, but I know from my personal experience what it takes to move beyond it."

Apollo returned to eating his ice cream as he let Coco process what he just said. Her face displayed various different emotions as she quietly ate her own cone. After a few minute of silence she spoke up.

"Then how do I overcome…. this," she said as she motioned to herself.

"Well, the first step," as he started he reached out and removed Cocos sunglasses before she could react. "Is to stop hiding it. There's a saying back on Earth that the first step to solving a problem is admitting that you have a problem. While it's a cheesy line, it's also very applicable. I could tell by how you reacted back at the cafe that you were bottling all that up for some time. That's why I wasn't mad at you. But now, you can't bottle it up anymore. You have to reach out to others. I know I said that you have to find your own road; however that doesn't mean you have to walk that road alone. You have some people in your life - people who would do anything for you. I'm pretty sure there's a certain fanus who would bend over backwards for you."

Coco blushed at the last comment. Maybe he was right, maybe she should tell them. Then the nagging fears and shame returned.

"But they don't know what I'm going through! They can't understand what it's like."

"They can't if you don't tell them. They will never understand unless you reach out to them and ask for help. And if you don't want to reach out to them," he placed her hand on her shoulder, forcing her to face him, "You can at least talk to me. I might be your official liaison but that doesn't mean you can't speak to me about personal issues. The bottom line is that you shouldn't try to handle these emotions on your own. Grief is not a one man issue. It takes many people to process it."

"So talking to others will help me beat this?"

The smile on Apollo's face disappeared as he sadly sighed. "If I'm really being honest, you never truly overcome grief."

Coco stared at him in shock. "But you just sai-" before she could finish her sentence a hand was up.

"I never said anything about overcoming. What you did will never leave you; however it is up to you to decide how it will shape you. In order to do that you have to keep moving forward. That's what someone told me when I was growing up: that no matter what you do, keep moving forward. You can either let this control you and destroy everything you've ever worked for, or this can be a bitter lesson for the amazing huntress that you can become." He paused, and Coco watched him give her a funny look before he smirked, "Oh by the way, you should probably finish that ice cream. It's starting to melt."

Coco had been so engrossed by their conversation that she had hardly noticed that her cone was starting to drip onto her hands. Frantically she started licking the ice cream, causing Apollo to chuckle. It only took a minute for both him and Coco to finish their respective cones, letting them silently watch a group of kids that had come out to play. Armed with sticks and other various items they ran around playing as the heroic Huntsmen and Huntresses chasing the "big bad Grimm." It was a sight that made Apollo smile; however for Coco, the innocence and naivety that the kids showed hurt her more than anything.

"I don't know if I can be a huntress anymore."

"Hm?"

"I can barely hold my gun without thinking about everything I did. Without hearing the screams." She looked over at Apollo, eyes searching for an answer, "If I can't even pick up my weapon, what kind of huntress am I?"

Rather than rush to an answer, Apollo took a second to think, wary of Coco's anticipation.

"I think that's a perfectly normal reaction. Nobody wants to continue doing something that causes them pain. I was the same way too. After losing my sister, I doubted I could still be with XCOM. Everything about the place reminded me of her and my mistake. Luckily I had people who helped direct my efforts towards more constructive pursuits. One in particular was Tim. He was one of us, out on the field, but also our base chaplain. He and Andrienne ... well, we'll just say they were engaged. It hit him hard, too. He never blamed me, though. In fact, when I finally started getting my head together, I offered to teach the new rooks. He was there for the training sessions. I froze up, then he handed me the mag to my rifle. We talked afterwards. So for a while I became an instructor for new rookies and once I was in a better spot emotionally I came back. You might not end up teaching like me, but try finding a hobby or something to do instead. Then, whenever you are ready, you can go back."

Once again, Coco was left to process Apollo's words. What could she possibly do? It's not like she had pursued anything except becoming a huntress. As she looked down she felt her Scroll buzz. A quick glance caused her to jump off the bench.

"Oh crap! I promised Blake that I would help her prep the operatives headed for Menagerie. I'm so sorry, but I have to leave."

"It's fine. We were done anyways. If you ever need anything, I'm just a Scroll message away."

"Thanks… for this," she said as she ran back towards the Avenger leaving Apollo to collect his thoughts and review everything that had happened. Pulling the paperwork from his bag he stared at the half filled form that he had for Coco. _I guess we can finish this another time,_ he thought, sighing. Standing up to leave himself, he felt someone tap his back. "Excuse me Mister?"

Looking behind him, or more appropriately down, he saw a young girl holding a photo. "You dropped this. Looked pretty valuable." For Apollo, valuable was an understatement when describing the photo. In it was a man and a woman in Marine Corp uniform, laughing while eating ice cream.

"Thanks, kid."

The little girl smiled as she ran off to join her friends. Apollo examined the front of the photo with a regretful look before turning it over. On the back was written: Got through basic. Don't forget: Keep Moving Forward! -Adrienne. With a small smile, he pocketed the picture, gathered his stuff, and made his way back to the ship.

* * *

A week after the interview, Apollo found himself once again idly wandering the streets of Patch. Over the course of the week he hadn't heard back from Coco. Rather than finishing the interview like he had planned, he had opted to give her more time and let her come to him. However, after a week of silence the operative was beginning to worry. He had hoped that she would heed his words and reach out to others, but from his own experience he knew that not everyone listened.

Wanting to clear his head, he decided to stop by the coffee shop and grab something to drink. He barely made it to the shop door before he stopped dead in his tracks. Looking through the shop window, he couldn't help but smile at the scene before him. Sitting together was a man who barely fit in his seat, another young man with his feet propped on the table, a faunus taking photos, and woman in a beret. However, what truly made Apollo smile was not the people, but the fact that the woman with the beret was laughing with them, and without a pair of sunglasses in sight. _I guess they can listen_ he mused to himself. With a bittersweet smile, he walked away from the shop.

* * *

A/N

Hello everyone. My name is Ramboing and I wanted to thank you for reading my first foray into fiction… ever. This chapter has been a long time coming, and it probably would not have been a thing if not for some amazing people on the Remnant Unknown Discord. I wanted to thank in particular DrAmishMD for giving me this opportunity to have this posted and I also wanted to thank u/Gryffen (the guy who wrote the wonderful Paris chapter) for inspiring me and giving me the confidence to write. There are so many more people I want to thank, but it would basically end up being a Oscar acceptance speech if I kept going.

So besides writing TFTAvengers chapters and being the Chief Scientist on the Remnant Unknown Discord server, I am also the Head GM of the RWBY Within Roleplaying Server on Discord. This is a little group which takes place from the start of XCOM itself and hopes to go as long as the story progresses. It's a mix of an actual Tabletop game with its own combat system and a typical forum style roleplaying group.

Now then, Team RWBY is about to arrive in the RP. We'll still need at least another month before they arrive. These are obviously the single most important characters in the story. We've come to the firm conclusion that it's best for everyone that they're played not by the Admin, but by players. Not just any players, some of the best. I and my COGM Gryffen are looking for some people to take the role of the huntresses of RWBY. If you are willing to commit time to this RP and want to help develop a story, feel free to contact me on the Discord server. If you're good at roleplay and you ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could play as one of them," this is a golden opportunity. Even if you don't want to play the huntresses, but want to join in on the fun as an operative or another major character like Shen or Beagle, feel free to join as we are always looking for more people.

Again, this is a commitment. This is not to be a burden, but a rare challenge and a joy. If you have what it takes, we're already starting private auditions. We look forward to hearing from you, and good hunting.


	6. Beautiful Atrocities

A/N (Amish Notes): I _really_ need to get better at posting these in a timely manner. I got caught up in trying to get the Menagerie arc for RU wrapped up, and forgot that I had some really bitchin' TftAvenger chapters lined up for posting. Anyway, next up is another one from Vin.

* * *

A/N (the authors not, not the Amish Notes… hmmm… Should I write them as V/N for Vinpap notes? I'll get you back on these next chapter!) Wassup everybody! This was the third chapter I worked on and it was finished BEFORE Gryffen did his own chapter set in the past, so I like to think that this is what inspired him! Anyway. As you'll see, this chapter centers mostly around my favorite pairing (that isn't Pollination) and my favorite relationship (be it in Canon or in RW/RU). But this also focus on something kinda mostly political that is happening in the real world right now. I'll leave it here for you to discover on your own and I'll see you at the end of this chapter!

* * *

 **Title:** Beautiful Atrocities

 **Author:** Vinpap

"So, that was a nice trip, don't you think?"

Blake turned her head and smiled at her partner sitting in the back seat of the car. They had been travelling around Japan's main island for a week and, she had to admit, it had been an… interesting experience to say the least.

"Yeah, it was." She answered lightly, a soft smile on her lips as she turned her head to look in front once again.

"Any favorite moment?"

Looking to her right, Blake took a moment to observe their driver. Yamamoto "Mochi" Reizo (it had surprised Blake when she learned that Asian last names were said before the surname like Ren's) was driving them to the last destination for their trip. He had volunteered to show them around his country, with the help of his wife, Park "Kimchi" Ji-Young. With their help, the two huntresses were able to somewhat bypass the language barrier and have an amazing time traveling across the island.

"Knowing Blake, I'm pretty sure her favorite moment was when Kimchi brought us to that book store you didn't want us to go to."

* * *

"Alright so, girls, you can't fully experience Akihabara without at least buying one doujin! So, Reizo, you're in charge for finding us a good restaurant and I will make sure that the girls have a great time over here."

With a grin, the Assault grabbed the two huntresses and pulled them in the building, preventing the girls from asking the important question of, "What exactly are doujins?" The Gunner simply rolled his eyes at his wife antics and did as he was told. It was useless to try and reason with her at this point anyway.

Inside the doujin shop, Kimchi was having the time of her life showing the two Beacon students the various art styles and themes, while also giving them recommendations for translated mangas and doujins.

"But… You already showed us a manga store. How is this even different from one of those?" asked Yang, looking at a sister-love doujin with both interest and horror at the images she was seeing.

"Well, simply put… A doujin is a manga that isn't published by one of the big companies. It's… what would happen if self publishing and indie publishing had a baby. But… This is not the main reason why people come in here. It's usually for the second section in the store."

Grabbing the bumblebee pair, Kimchi quickly ran up a set of stairs and entered a closed room, its door marked with a warning symbol. Despite being on Earth AND being in a land they couldn't understand the language of, both younger girls could easily decipher the number 18 crossed by a red line.

"Hum… Yang…"

"I don't know Blake! I'm working on it!"

Once inside the room, both girls stopped in their tracks as they looked at the shelves filled with mangas. Instantly, Blake's face was flushed and Yang's mouth was left hanging at the sight. To say that they expected to be dragged in an erotic book store by a fellow soldier would have been sarcasm at its finest. Both girls looked at one another for a few seconds before devolving in a giggling fit.

"I mean… We COULD stay and respect the culture…"

"Agreed. Let's just make sure that your sister doesn't find out about this."

"As long as you don't leave them around the room, I think we'll be okay."

Quickly the two girls split up and began to rummage the room as they searched for doujins with particularly interesting images. At the door, Kimchi smiled as she crossed her arms in satisfaction. This was definitely a good idea.

* * *

"You should have seen Kimchi's face when Blake walked up to her with a pile of books. Hell, even I was surprised!"

Blake was hiding her face in her hands, while also trying to melt through her seat, shame overtaking her as she was ridiculed by her friend. She jumped when she felt Mochi's hand patting her on the head to try and comfort her.

"You should know that Ji has almost one hundred of those books back at home. There's no shame in having a hobby."

Blake nodded slowly and gave the man a comforting smile. The faunus quickly turned around to glare at her partner who simply blew her a kiss with a wink. Rolling her eyes, she quickly sat back properly, a smile appearing on her lips when she knew the two in the back couldn't see her.

"Well, what if I like that shop, Miss 'Let me practically be in the nude and show more cleavage than what I already usually show in my regular clothes as I dress up to look like a character from a show I've never even seen'?"

"Hey! The girls are a masterpiece. They need to be shared with the world!"

* * *

On their fourth day in Japan, Blake and Yang had agreed to visit a convention held in Tokyo. What they didn't know however, was that Kimchi had decided that they couldn't visit such an event without cosplaying. While Blake usually didn't mind trying new things, she did not expect the Assault to pull out two costumes the moment the two younger girl agreed. After being separated, Blake slowly undressed and put on the clothing she was given. She put on a backless black undershirt and an orange long-sleeved over shirt with white straps on the shoulders. She then put on the black stretch pants and the brown shoes she was given. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at what she saw. While being far from her usual style, she liked the design and appearance of the clothes, resembling those of a martial artist.

When she got out, she was quickly pulled aside by Kimchi who began to arrange her hair in a ponytail. Before she was done however, Blake heard the door to Yang's room open and both the faunus and the Assault turned their head to look at Yang entering the room.

Gaping at the sight, Blake didn't know what to say. In front of her, Yang was… barely clothed. She was wearing a black tube top showcasing her impressive muscles and abs, while most of her prosthetics were hidden by detachable sleeves hooked on golden bracers near her shoulders. Blake's eyes slowly went downward as she looked at Yang's pants, or rather lack of pants. She was wearing a pair of black mini shorts, which almost looked like a bikini bottom judging by its length, detachable pant legs (how this could be considered pants was lost to Blake with the amount of skin it showed) and brown boots that went up to her knees.

Blake was so entranced by the sight that it took her a few seconds to realize the two little extra appendages on her best friend's head. Lost in the middle of her golden mane, sat a pair of cat ears, almost of an identical colour as her hair.

"You're drooling kitty cat."

Snapping out of her gaze, Blake blushed as she mumbled an excuse. She didn't dare look up when she heard the two other girl in the room laughing at her, but she smiled nonetheless.

"Well, what can I say Yang… You do look great in that costume of yours."

"Thanks kitten, you look awesome too."

As they teased each other, Kimchi quickly explained to each girl what their cosplay was. According to the Assault, Yang's was from a character named Leone and she was from an animated show about a team of assassins trying to restore their country to its former state, by fighting against its corrupted government. Blake's own cosplay was from a character named Yoruichi and she apparently was a strong martial artist in a society of souls and even served as a teacher to the main character.

"Oh and she also can turn into a cat! That's why I thought of her when thinking about you!"

Hearing this, Blake tensed up and her ears flattened on her head. Again, her faunus heritage made it so people would make choices based on her appearance. While she knew that it wasn't said in that way, she couldn't stop herself from feeling self conscious. All those years of racism had that effect on her and many more faunus around the kingdoms of Remnant. She felt herself relax however when Yang put her hand on her leg and smiled to her kindly.

"If someone ever says something bad about your ears, I'll make sure they won't be able to talk for a week. You look great Blake. Don't ever doubt it."

The faunus smiled and nodded slightly. A few minutes later and Kimchi was done with her hair and quickly moved on to give Yang a pair of gloves made to look like lion paws complete with sharp claws. After they both felt comfortable in their cosplays, the trio of woman made their way towards the convention center.

The day was wonderful. Blake had more fun in that one afternoon than she ever did on Menagerie or in the White Fang. Sure, Yang had been the center of attention for an evident pair of reason, but Blake had her fair share of fans as well. Halfway through the day she remembered something a member of XCOM's base defense crew had said to her during the Long War, about being a celebrity in Japan. His comment, Blake quickly learned, was not an exaggeration. People were amazed at the "amount of work must have gone in her prosthetics to make them so realistic" and she had a lot of people asking her for pictures with her, both for her cosplay and for her ears.

"Hey, Sabertooth?"

Blake turned her head towards Kimchi, standing next to her, while a man was standing beside her, camera in hand.

"Yeah?"

"This guy wants to know if you and BFG would like to take a picture with you two acting like you're fighting against one another. Do you mind?"

"Better idea! It's been a while since we sparred Blake, don't you think?"

Standing behind her, Yang was grinning with her arms crossed, a spark of challenge in her eyes as she kept her eyes locked on her friend. Even if Blake didn't know her friend like she did, she would have been able to understand the tone of voice used by Yang.

"So, what do you say Kitty cat?"

A smile appeared on Blake's lips as she nodded. Quickly Kimchi asked for people to move away from the huntress duo, as they got in position, each adopting their preferred fighting stance.

"You know, even if you are the most experienced in fighting in hand to hand, I can still hold my own. Want to make this interesting? Loser buys lunch."

"You're on Blake! Hope you're ready to spend all your money for me! Let's show them what Remnant huntresses can do!"

They both stood still for a moment, before a loud noise made Blake flinch and Yang took her chance. In less than a second, she was on top of Blake who scrambled to defend herself against the dangerous punch of the brawler. But Blake was not going to let this stand and quickly got back in the game. With feline grace, she began to parry and weave between Yang's punches while also dishing out her own attacks. Using her superior agility, Blake began to flip around the makeshift arena, cartwheeling away from punches and diving and rolling from kicks. While over the top, she felt the onlookers would appreciate the show. Yang quickly understood what her friend was doing and she began to match Blake's antics, going for over dramatic movements and poses as she fought against her friend.

Things soon escalated as Blake used her semblance to avoid a punch. Yang let her semblance loose as well, her hair shining gold as she went on the defensive. While not as strong as Yang's, Blake's punches and kicks were quicker and could bypass Yang's defense more easily. The two girls began to laugh with one another as they lost themselves in the flow of the fight. After all these months spent fighting for their lives, learning to live without their own limbs, piloting MECs and saving a planet from total destruction from alien invaders, they were finally cutting loose. They were having fun and they were spending time with one another. Their bond was stronger than it had ever been before the Long War and neither of them could imagine living without the other now. As a famous man once said, The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Smiling, Blake couldn't stop herself from thinking back on everything she and Yang had gone through together.

Lost in her thoughts, she missed Yang closing in the distance quickly. She only realized it when Yang managed to grab her by the arm and threw her over her shoulder, slamming the faunus on the ground, before sitting on her friend's belly, fist raised and aimed at her face.

"Do you yield, oh worthy foe?"

Rolling her eyes at her friend's antics, Blake couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"This is the only time I'll surrender. Because I know that, on any other occasion, you'll always have my back."

Grinning, Yang winked at her friend and stood up, helping Blake to her feet. When they were both standing up, the crowd exploded in applause and whistles. They bowed and quickly made their way out of the convention center, Kimchi trying to keep as many attendees away from them as possible.

* * *

"According to Kimchi, it was, and I quote, the most badass bitchin' fight to have ever happened in the history of ever."

Yang exploded in laughter when she heard Mochi's comment. They were saying that, but they had never seen the things that professional huntsmen could do back on Remnant. Dust and crazy weapons tend to raise the stakes by quite a bit.

"Yeah, and the lunch we had after that was pretty great. It was fun to finally taste the mochis, but man, I ate way too much, I was filled at the end!"

"Agreed, I also think it's fun to be filled by Mochi."

The two operatives in the front of the car choked on air while Yang laughed even harder than she already was, while everybody looked at the last occupant of the car, Kimchi having woken up at some point without anyone realizing it. Grinning Kimchi raised her hand and Yang quickly high fived her as everybody tried to gain back their composure.

When everybody finally calmed down (and when Mochi finally lost his blush), Yang pulled out her phone and opened the google maps app. When the location finally appeared, she turned to look at Kimchi.

"So, where exactly are we heading? I'm not seeing anything of note around here. No national park or nothing."

Kimchi took a deep breath and looked towards her husband who simply nodded from the front. Seeing this Yang and Blake looked at each other with apprehension in their eyes. Blake turned around and looked at the Assault with her brows raised.

"So… This is something Reizo and I talked a lot about before deciding to show you around Japan. You see, 70 years or so ago, something devastating happened in Japan. To end a war, the United States dropped the mother of all bombs on the city we're heading to. Then they did it a second time on another city further south. Only then did the Japanese surrender. We'll explain a lot more when we get there. But, to answer your question Yang… We're heading to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum."

After that, the atmosphere in the car quickly changed. Everybody grew somber and stopped talking. The two terran operatives were deep in thought, both for vastly different reasons, while the Remnant operatives were trying to understand why their tour guides had those reactions.

The ambiance in the car stayed the same for another half hour, until Mochi finally parked the car near a large building. At once, everybody left the car and Yang couldn't contain her whistle of amazement as she looked at the building and its surroundings. Despite knowing that the city had been bombed seventy years ago, there was no sign of it anymore. The large park near the building was buzzing with activity, children laughing and people jogging.

"Here we are", said the Gunner as he stretched after standing up for so long. "Well ladies, I have to warn you, this will not be the same kind of day as you're used to since the beginning. Time for some history lessons."

"As long as you're not as eccentric as professor Oobleck, we should be okay."

Smiling as she looked at the man, Blake followed him quickly, the other two women following soon after. They spent hours walking the halls of the museum, the two operatives explaining some images or giving some context about various objects or text that was part of the exposition. The huntresses went through so many emotions, they were beginning to feel tired from everything. From shock, to anger, as well as sorrow and horror, despair until they managed to see the final part of the exposition, showcasing the rebuilding of the city. It almost managed to bring back a smile to their faces, but they still couldn't get rid of the feeling of unease that their day in the museum had brought them.

When they finally left, the group decided to sit down in a nearby park, Blake and Yang deep in thoughts while the two other operatives simply waited for them to process everything. After ten minutes or so, Yang finally said something, barely above a whisper.

"Why… Why did they have to do this?" Yang asked with a sigh, "From everything I… _We_ 've seen, there's no reason to do such a thing. I know war brings out the worst in people, but… I never thought it'd be THAT bad."

Kimchi couldn't stop herself from snorting when she heard Yang's question. Hearing this, two heads snapped to look at the Assault, as Blake and Yang couldn't believe the way she had reacted.

"Oh boy, here we go again." Sighed Mochi as he crossed his arms and looked towards the sky.

"Blake, I'm pretty sure you've read some books about the second world war, right? Well, the thing is, World War Two didn't technically start in 1939 like we see in the US or European history books. Since the early 1930s, Japan was at war with multiple nations in Asia. They invaded Korea, set up a puppet government in some region of China and was in the process of invading mainland Asia when World War 2 'officially' began. And, let me tell you, they were just as bad, if not worse, than the Nazis. They raped, killed, enslaved and did many, many, many more atrocities."

"Ji…"

"NO! They need to know!" said the Assault as she stood up and pointed at her husband, glaring at him, which quickly prompted him to raise his hands in surrender. "Girls… We've shown you the best things this country has to offer. But less than a century ago, this country would have been hell. They waged countless war to grow their empire. In Korea, my culture was desecrated and my grandparents had their lives turned upside down. Why? Because they weren't Japanese, they were only some lowly Koreans. Why should the Japanese care about them? Even today we still see some repercussion of that. And, worse part of everything, Japan doesn't want to admit they did such horrible things. This is not something you will see in Japanese history books. They will barely talk about those atrocities. They don't want to acknowledge that so many women, like one of my grandmother, were used as sexual slaves, as 'comfort women' for the army. "

Kimchi sighed as she sat down on the side of the water fountain. She looked around, at the people surrounding them, living their lives without a care in the world, despite the event that had transpired here years ago, not even caring caring about the war that ended only months ago. She tensed up when she felt someone sit next to her, but she quickly felt better when a strong arm found its way around her shoulders, her husband holding her close as she began to calm down.

"What Ji is trying to say is… Not every country is black or white. You lived in the Anthill, so you read a lot of American literature and saw history from their point of view. I doubt you've read anything about the horrible things that happened in Vietnam that the Americans did, or that the Americans created camps to house anybody with Japanese heritage during the war. Humanity is messed up. We've made so many mistakes in our road to get here, but we're slowly getting better. I mean… We have proof right here: Ji-Young and I are married and love each other, despite being from Japan and Korea."

Quickly looking around, the Gunner kissed the top of his wife's head when he saw nobody looking in their general direction. They terran operatives looked at the two younger girls sitting in front of them, clearly conflicted on the new information they just learned. After a minute or two, Blake turned her head to look at her best friend.

"It's… A lot like faunus and human relations back on Remnant, don't you think Yang?"

"Y… Yeah…"

Blake smiled to Yang before turning her gaze back to the two soldiers sitting in front of her. She opened her mouth to talk, but closed it quickly, unable to properly put words on what she wanted to say. She did the same things a few time, before groaning as she ran a hand through her hair. This made the others around smile and giggle as they saw her struggle, but no one said anything, letting the faunus process everything and find what she wanted to say.

"How… How can you do this? Back on Remnant, it's sometimes difficult to find people who can see the wrong in their kind. A lot of Faunus are not proud of what the White Fang did or are currently doing, but a lot believe that they're still fighting for equality among the faunus. And a lot of humans still feel justified in their hatred towards us! And you have that in your world as well! With slavery, abuse of power from the elites, war atrocities and genocidal warmongers being a large part of your history. And yet you still have people, like you, like other people in the Anthill, who manage to see through that… fog that corrupts so many people. How do you do it? Why can't we have the same thing on Remnant!"

Looking at each other, the two terran operatives smiled. As if there was a magic remedy. Kimchi got up and walked to the two other girls, hugged them and laughed lightly. She got on her knees in front of the girls and took one of their hand in her own.

"You know, I sometimes forget that the eight of you are a lot younger than everybody in XCOM. Blake… There's no way to completely stop these things. You simply have to fight one battle at a time. At first it'll be one person, then a second, a third and so on and so forth. Changing mentalities that have been ingrained in your mind for years, if not decades, is a long and tedious process. You are a smart woman and you are accompanied by wonderful friends that see the best in you. They are the proof that humans can be friends with faunus. Now bring that knowledge to more and more people. That's how you'll solve everything."

Yang and Blake looked up as they saw Mochi come up to them. He laid a hand on his wife's shoulder and smiled to them as well, looking at both of them with care in his eyes.

"When I decided to ask Ji-Young for her hand in marriage, I can assure you, her family was far from being okay with it. Hell, I almost never saw them, because I'm a Japanese man. In Korea, that would have been like inviting the boogeymonster into your bed. But we still went through with our relationship because we loved each other despite the past that our countries shared. No one can stop someone from feeling something. If a human want to befriend a faunus, they can. No government, friend, family or anything can tell them they don't have that right."

Smiling softly, Blake nodded at the other operatives. After spending so much time in the White Fang, she saw that what they were doing was not helping their cause anymore. It was only deepening the divide between their races. Seeing the situation back on Remnant, being so different, but also so similar to that of what was happening on earth, she was beginning to regain hope for her world and her race. Maybe, just maybe, they would also be able to reach the same level of trust and relationship that she had seen in XCOM and on this trip alone. Maybe she was naive, maybe she was being too idealist. But she could still hope for a better future for her species.

"So, after the day we just had, how about we all go rest in an onsen for the night before calling Big Sky for a pickup tomorrow morning?"

"Hey, a night in a hot bath with a cute cat girl? That's the kind of things I thought I'd only see in one of Kimchi's _special_ books."

"Yang!"

* * *

V/N : I decided to use Vinpap Notes because I'm that cool! So, as you were able to see, I kinda went on a difficult subject in our modern society. Japan is known to deny all the awful things they did during WW2 and even to politically attack any nation to say that they ever did bad things. I wasn't planning on using that particular subject, but when I mentioned the setting to Rambo, he went on one hell of a tirade that forced me to do some research and a interest me in that particular subject. So, with a bit of help with a bunch of reading, of google-fu and of Rambo's knowledge, I managed to write something that, I hope, makes sense. If there's something wrong, I 100% put the blame on Rambo and you should absolutely be angry at him, not at me!

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed the bees flirting in Japan as much as I liked writing it… Now I need to get my ass back in it and finish the latest story I have in mind, but school is stopping me from doing such things


	7. All the Color of Paris: Part Two

A/N: Even though I'm on a hiatus for Remnant Unknown, that doesn't mean I plan to put a hold on uploading chapters for TFTA. :D

Alright, time for the next installment of Ser Gryffen's adventures in Paris. I really like the banter in this one, but I especially adore the insight into the four women that comes at the end.

* * *

 **Title:** All the Colors of Paris: Part 2

 **Author:** Gryffen

It only took a minute for them to be led to a seemingly simple round table draped in white linen. Weiss detected the high-quality weave in the linen, not to mention the four chairs were spectacular. Solid, gilded, exceedingly comfortable, and light enough to move if needed. Weiss allowed herself a pleased smile when the staff properly held the chairs for all four of them to be seated. Seconds later, in clockwork-precision the quartet found themselves with menus, glasses of water, stems of white wine, and centerpiece that matched all four colors they wore. With a "Merci," two sweet voices of "thank you," and a "danke sien," the staff vanished with flair.

"How do they even pay this place?" Weiss broke the silence once they were left to themselves. There were dozens of staff scurrying about, possibly even a hundred if Weiss could count them. "As a unit, they could give you a run for your money, Ruby."

"Sponsors, mon ami," Annette purred with the menu perched in her hand.

"How does that work, though?" Ruby asked thoughtfully. Her keen eyes steadily followed the rapid flow of the wait-staff. "Logistics alone, this place must cost a fortune. It has enough manpower to match the Anthill. And didn't the man up front say you're a sponsor now?"

"It is not quite the same, but related," Annette said as she searched the menu with hawkish intent. "Allow me to summarize the continued existence of this establishment before I explain myself here."

Annette took an easy sip, set down her drink, and drummed her fingers in the air as she continued her scrutiny of the menu. "At the commencement of **Exposition Universelle,** one of the ideals brought forth to be shared was the core principles of the French, la joie de vie – the joy of life. Thus, Le Maison Chic came to be."

"Apparently, the concept has changed," Moira intoned dryly.

Annette waved off the comment without even a glance. "Le Maison is concealed and exclusive, but not prejudiced. Like La Tour Eiffel, the original maison was only to last at most a decade after the exposition. Aussi, it became quickly apparent that not everyone could grasp the concept." She gazed somberly from her menu. "It is not wealth and prestige the provides the joy of the heart, neither does its absence. Heh. Likewise, many of the … prospective patrons could find no pleasure in a place such as this where anyone clever and keen may prove welcome."

"The details are … convoluted at best, but by the turn of the century, the proprietors elected to follow the example of La Tour Eiffel and continue on. However, they wisely decided to relocate. They decided to relocate every decade, masquerading each location as they go. In doing so, they realized they could … provide a means to select the patronage and protect l'esprit de la maison. Several notables across the world quietly provided an account to keep the maison vibrant, include Monsieur Roosevelt. According to legend, he could sing surprisingly well, as long as he was accompanied. Thus, the sponsors came to be. Some provide the wealth. Some provide the style." She finished off her sentence with a sly grin.

The previous singing dwindled off to be swiftly replaced with a burst of sweet-toned strings and brass. "A Summer Place? Again? Really?" Annette drawled.

Weiss refused to let the new piece of music (which was admittedly lovely) distract her. "I imagine _you_ bring the style, dear Captain? And what's with the demotion?"

"Bah! So many questions!" Annette feigned indignation. "Do you not simply wish to enjoy the evening?"

"You brought three bright, deductive minds with you, _Capitaine_ Durand," Moira emphasized. "If you wanted blind obedience, you should have known better."

After a moment of shared giggling, Annette continued. "I had known of this establishment's existence for a long time. Most French do, but we either do not believe it or can not find it. I … convinced a few patrons to invite me along."

Moira dropped her jaw. "You didn't."

Even before Moira spoke, Weiss had suspicions of how Annette persuaded other people to invite her. A quick glance to Ruby was rewarded with a knowing smirk from her teammate, which confirmed all she needed to know.

"It was shortly after our triumph, and I couldn't contain myself. I had promised myself as a child I would visit this place before I died," Annette said, grinning shamelessly. "Besides, it should please you to know that I quickly revealed myself and my nature to the maitre'd and the maestro. After their initial shock, they gleefully welcomed me, especially after I proved myself extremely useful."

Moira pressed her fingertips to her forehead and squeezed her eyelids shut. "Should I ask? Or would the knowledge incriminate me?"

"Oooh, you think so poorly of me, my dear doctor!" Annette teased. "I'll have you know everything outside of my own charming personality has been subtle. … and effective. Let us say that I have helped pacify several disputes and settled them without any lingering ill will."

"By altering someone's mind?" Moira said with growing tones of dismay and guilt.

"Never once have I injured someone mentally or changed their personality," Annette justified with an uplifted index finger. "There has been only one drastic instance where I allowed someone to … forget the existence of this place," she casually assured them as she reached for her glass. Before she sipped, she added, "And his pants."

Annette's timing was malicious. Weiss nearly spat out her wine. Ruby definitely sputtered. "Anneeeeeette!"

Annette merely giggled.

"And the demotion?"

Again, Annette waved off concerns. "It is not so much a demotion so much as a romanization." She paused, tipped her chin, and grinned. "Captains are far more desirable than Majors."

Weiss snorted at the saucy wink Annette tossed at her. She noticed Moira rolled her eyes heavenward and shook her head. "I suspect there are some aspects of French culture I will never understand."

"Hmmm," Annette purred. "You do not have to understand it all, merely understand enough, and accept the rest."

Weiss gazed casually over her shoulder. The massive banquet hall should have seemed gaudy like so many others, but it didn't. It was simply too cheerful and festive while blending nicely with panache. "The dance floor seems a bit large, and I can't tell if the stage is meant for concerts or not."

"Le Maison can become quite … boisterous," Annette assured. "Aussi, while some may consider it … 'tacky,' the stage is large enough to host legendary venue while also boasting the karaoke. Have you not heard them?"

"It would be fair to say we're still getting used to this place."

Annette nodded. "To be expected. Not only are you adapting to our specific culture in this place, but also this world. I'm pleasantly surprised that you do not find this overwhelming."

"Give it time," Ruby drawled.

Weiss chuckled at Ruby's antics. She turned to Annette. "Is there anything we should know about the etiquette here?"

"There are too many to list in one evening, and I offer my apology for not coaching you ahead time. However, that is part of the way of le Maison," Annette said. "As has been said, Le Maison Chic is about joy of the soul. Simple, genuine grace will go a long way. Also, while not mandatory, it is requested to join in on the dance floor or on the stage to sing."

"Uuuuuugh," Ruby quietly groaned. "I'm all for trying new things, but I don't want to make a fool of myself, which would mean I make YOU look bad."

"I'm agreeing with Ruby on this one."

"Oh, keep your moping to yourselves," Annette teased. "You will enjoy more than you think you would. Although there is one petit detail I must point out now. You may notice the music may pause longer than the norm? And then afterwards someone will advance to the stage and sing? It is an old tradition. If you are dancing and touch the stage for whatever reason after the music has ceased, then _you_ must sing next."

"I think I'll stay on the far side of the room, thank you," Ruby whimpered.

"You'd have to get us very drunk for that to happen, Annette," Weiss snorted.

"Ah!" Annette said knowingly. "The night is young, though I recommend drinking in moderation. … Not that this should be a problem, non?"

Ruby in particular shot Annette a firm glare. " _No_. I have no desire ever have a hangover like that first time. … just … ow!"

Annette grinned slyly. "As tempted as I may be to tease you about such indiscretion, mon petite, I wouldn't dare dream of spoiling tonight. Now then, if I may? I recommend we sample a plethora of just about everything we can tonight. The dining, the dancing, and certainly the music."

"Dancing?" Moira frowned.

"Music!?" Ruby sputtered

"Oh, come now! You wound me," Annette purred. Her mischievous demeanor toned down considerably. "You've trusted me thus far, and I've proven true enough. Trust me again. Speaking of which, if you would, allow me to order the cuisine."

"I was hoping you would," Ruby admitted. Her perplex gaze on the menu showed little hope. "I can … read most of it, but … spider-fish? Really? How is that supposed to be high cuisine?"

"It all depends on the creative gift of the chef," Annette answered. "But be of good cheer. What I already have in mind should appeal immediately. The serveur should be along momentarily. I am curious, if I may? Have you decided on a favorite location of your time here in France?"

"I took your advice and picked one of the bridges on the main river of Paris," Ruby answered with a pretty smile. "You said it's traditional for someone to wander the bridges and decide on the one you like best, then call it yours. I did. It's the one that's nearest the … Chapel of the Heart, they call it. It's just so quiet and peaceful. It's like having a piece of Patch here in Paris. I even bought a beret!"

"This may sound lame, but I'm still making up my mind," Weiss confessed without looking up from the menu. She knew it was hopeless to try to decipher a language she had little knowledge of, but she was certainly going to try! She might be akin to royalty, but she was done with relying solely on servants. "Avignon, Brittany, Breaulieu, Cannes, Monaco – and we barely had any time for the Alps."

"We still have three more days," Annette offered.

"Hmm, perhaps," Weiss countered. "I know X-C… er, the base has it all in hand, but we promised to be ready and able if they called us." She paused but refused to wait too long or Annette would take the upper hand again. She shot a quick frown over the menu. "Besides, while you've been an excellent host, not _all_ of your choices were flawless. You should have warned us last week."

Moira frowned. "Last week? What happened?"

Ruby blushed profusely as she slowly hoisted up the menu to carefully hide her face. Annette, on the other hand, merely plucked up her stem of white wine, shrugged, and smiled.

"The 'river-area' is what it's close to being called," Weiss said with a pointed look at Annette. "It's their resort beach to the south."

"The French Riv—" Moira yelped, then caught herself. She lowered her volume after casting a guilty glance around her. Thankfully, the only people who glanced that the doctor simply gave her knowing smirks. "The French Riviera!" she hissed in a whisper.

"Simply the best of the Mediterranean," Annette gloated. "How could I deny them that?"

"Oh, don't even try that deflection with me," Moira quietly fumed. "It is THE French Riviera, especially since Weiss commented about it. They're still children!"

"They're far more mature than most adults we know," Annette glibly defended. "It is not as if they have not been introduced to far more during their stay in our base facilities. Besides, I specifically selected la plage optionnelle. Most everyone was discrete."

"And you?" Moira pressed, unamused.

"Merely aux seins nus."

Ruby slid a little further down in her chair. Weiss refused to be ashamed, instead matching Moira's soft, yet firm glower at Annette.

"Don't even try and tell me you didn't end up enjoying yourselves," Annette crowed. "After the initial shock, we moved on, and all was well."

"I won't argue the region was beautiful beyond compare," Weiss chastised. She shifted her eyes back down to the menu. "And we did … enjoy ourselves," she added with a blush that started to creep on to her neck. "I still insist a little warning would have been nice."

"Ahem!" Ruby suddenly said. "Can we change the topic? Oh, and look! Our waiter!"

Moira clinched her lips tight, but she still glowered at Annette. "This isn't over," she muttered.

"Your daughter was modest most of the time, I assure you," Annette quipped as she motioned for the waiter. She deftly cut off all protests as she casually requested their order.

"Monsieur, if you would, we'll begin with bruschetta, gougeres, et verde tapenade."

"Excellente, ma'amselle. And for the next course?"

Weiss started to tune out. It wasn't just the fact that the restaurant exuded comfort (perhaps too much comfort, if she were honest), or that she had difficulty understanding what was being ordered, but also the rush of strange emotions she had over the past two months. She didn't regret any of it. That included the … omitted details of the resort beach, though she was certain part of that wasn't due to any forgetfulness from Annette. If anything, the weeks here started to feel unreal, almost dreamlike. Or worse, that this was reality and the world of Remnant was a dream.

"Un detail de plus," Annette told the waiter before he left. She plucked up her glass and took a lazy sip. Weiss wasn't sure why, but the shift in Annette's tone caught her attention. "La Bouillabaisse?"

"Oui, ma'maselle?"

Annette's lips cracked into a tiny grin. 'Au Senegalese."

The waiter's eyes unexpectedly shot wide in horror, or at least unexpectedly to everyone except Annette. "Ma'amselle!" he pleaded.

"Au Senegalese," she mildly asserted with another smile and a sip.

"Mais-!"

"Au Senegalese."

The waiter silently fumed. Trembling, he fiercely scratched on tablet whatever the addition was before stalking off.

Annette smirked and sipped on her white wine as the other three women stared at her, befuddled. Weiss shot a glance at Ruby.

"Don't look at me," Ruby said with equal confusion. "I have no clue!"

"What was that about?" Moira insisted on behalf of Ruby and Weiss.

"A bit of a game," Annette declared as she casually set down her glass. "I am proud to be French, and why not, but like every culture, we French have our vices. We excel at fine dining and we simply _hate_ it when another region might provide a slightly better recipe." She glanced up and offered a grin. "Bouillabaisse is a national pride, and to taste its succulence is divine. However, it is a dirty little secret that a former colony invented a better variation."

Weiss couldn't help it. She smirked, then leaned in to mutter an amused, "Scandalous."

"Isn't it?" Annette agreed conspiratorially. "Besides, many of us know this fact, and if you will notice, the soup will arrive on time. Oh la la! You mean to tell me that the cuisine already included such a thing? Why yes! Yes, they did."

Weiss had to chuckle. "Appearances," she muttered, but with casual smile. "I have to plead guilty of my share of them."

"Soup?" Ruby piped up.

Moira surprised Weiss by speaking up first. "Bouillabaisse is admittedly a French delicacy. It began as a peasant dish from the fishers on the coast, but in time as many recipes do, it developed into staple for the elite."

"So it's a fish soup?" Ruby pondered.

Annette tapped the side of her skull and smiled over to Ruby. "The memory of my Freshman year? The zesty and buttery soup from the kettle?"

"Oh that!" Ruby said gleefully. "You promised to bring me some for real!"

"I did indeed," Annette returned happily. "And as you will see, a promise kept."

Weiss's curiosity got the better of her. She leaned in to affirm from Ruby, "Is it that good?"

Ruby leaned in to grin back to Weiss. Her silver eyes sparkled. "If it's as good as her memory makes me think it is, you'll want thirds."

Indeed, shortly after the first course of appetizers came, four porcelain bowls swiftly appeared, filled with thick chunks of fish, potato, spices, nestled with soft rice, and powdering of crushed peanut, and… was that a small lobster? All in a steamy translucent broth.

After a few spoonfuls, Weiss wanted thirds. She knew if her parents had been anywhere within fifty feet of her, they would have scowled in disapproval at even the thought of such a breach of etiquette, but Weiss wasn't going to lie to herself.

"I don't even know what half of this is made out of, and I don't care," she firmly admitted before treating herself to another portion.

"So tell me, Moira," Annette began after dabbing her lips with a napkin. "These past few weeks I have seen you vacating the labs sometime after three. You do not return until after dinner. Praytell why such a change in your austere regimen? Does it have anything to do with rumors that you have developed a personal weapon?"

"Training," Moira answered simply. Her lips smacked the spoon for the traces of the zesty soup. "If you recall, after that Grimm creature manifested itself in my lab, I took Bradford's advice to heart. I acquired a new weapon and proper training."

"Acquired?" Ruby grinned. "You built it!"

Weiss hid the measure of disappointment she felt. She kept silent when Moira told Annette, "You should be pleased. It is a smaller riot gun, and it was more of Ruby and Weiss's gift to me, after I provided them with specifications."

"A riot gun?" Annette grinned in disbelief.

"It was more Ruby's exceptional craftsmanship," Weiss admitted with a sad smile. "I merely provided a few suggestions and held some components when I could."

"That's not entirely true," Moira gently chided. "You knew exactly what I needed when I presented the concept to you. After all, you have significant experience with such weapons."

"Only about a year's worth," she dimly muttered.

"It's more than enough, Weiss," Ruby insisted. "And she's right, too. With your help, I could account for Dr. Vahlen's weight, height, need for a quick, but heavy weapon. What she wanted was very specific."

"Quite the custom creation?" Annette asked.

"Oh yeah!" Ruby said with a few vigorous nods. "Basically a 12-guage pump shotgun, but made strictly from alloys. Pistol-gripped, snub-barreled, able to fire three shells in a second if you're really good. I wanted to make it a true form-shifting weapon, but Dr. Vahlen pointed out she can't use Aura like we can, plus she wanted it compactable. You can condense it down to the size of a plasma pistol." Ruby held up her hands to demonstrate. She sweetly measured out a rough twelve inches.

"It's Moira, again, for this evening," Dr. Vahlen said. "And between both our friends, it suits me well. Despite her dismay for not sharing fully in the time of construction, Weiss is an excellent instructor. My thanks."

"And does this fair weapon have a name?" Annette asked playfully. "It wouldn't be fitting otherwise."

"As a matter of fact, it does. I have Weiss again to thank for that."

"Well, we both agreed that it was more than a weapon," Weiss conceded with a slowly growing smile. "It is yet another specific tool in your vast array of equipment to use."

"Oooooh?" Annette said, grinning and leaning her chin in her hand. "And that name is…?"

"BFA."

"Ha!" Annette laughed. "Have you been so inspired by Ruby's imposing sister?"

Moira quietly grinned. "Nein. It is an acronym for a scientific methodology – Brute Force Application."

Annette laughed heartily. "Oh my dear doctor, you _do_ have a sense of humor! Who knew?"

Moira blushed, grinning. "Surprisingly, what I have now is an appetite. I have not eaten so much since college."

"I'll say!" Ruby joined in. "I've done as everyone's asked and I'm eating reeeeeeally slow, and I don't want to sound greedy, but is there more on the way?"

Annette grinned as the waiters reappeared. "Mais bien sur. The next course?"

After another round of shared laughter and chicken cordon bleu, Ruby thoughtfully asked, "This may sound silly, but why does food have to taste so different in so many places? It's not a bad thing. At all! But do you ever wonder why places have unique flavors?"

"It's not as bizarre a question as you may think, although the answer can be fairly simple," Annette answer while her fork lazily collected the drizzled sauce on the plate. "Not only did recipes come from local ingredients, but also from the people. Preferences, viewpoints, desires – laugh if you wish, but cuisine is a signature of the people who create it. Each signature is a unique as the one who produces it, so it reflects their tastes and their passions."

"I'll say," Weiss spoke up. "I've been fortunate enough to travel around before coming here. Recipes from Vacuo tend to boast how spicy and flavorful they are, kind of like their people. At the same time, while it's enjoyable, the taste is a little… forced."

"All right, all right," Ruby mewed sheepishly. "I get it. Just please don't pick on food from Patch. It's home."

Weiss sent a teasing smile. "It's charming food there, Ruby. Truly." She giggled when Ruby stuck out her tongue back at her.

"It is akin to what German food is known for," Moira added. "Those with little experience think of our cuisine as only sauerkraut and greasy sausage. While those are staples, there is much more to that."

"As well, most people do not realize that German cuisine often works well when you sample a bit from several selections at once," Annette agreed. "Case in point, so many people cringe at sauerkraut, stating how bitter it can be, yet they never realize it counters the heavier aspects of other entrees. Selected properly, you experience all the tastes without the potent after-effects. Ha. It is like the German people themselves – such intensity when taken individually you might only see them as brusque, but when you allow them to gather naturally, they complement nicely." She tipped her glass to Moira.

"It would be fair to say cultures clearly show their variety in music as well," Weiss chimed.

"Ah, music!" Annette mused. "I have read it has been said, 'Show me what you eat and I will show you what you are.' I can't recall who said that. No matter. I think we can all agree the same is true for music. After all, isn't music food for the soul?"

"Music used to be one of my greatest loves," Weiss admitted with a sigh. "It was a way I could escape. And then my father realized how well I could sing."

Everyone at the table gave Weiss sympathetic smiles. "I've always loved your voice, Weiss. I know I asked you sing over and over again, especially back in Beacon. I'm sorry I was so insensitive."

"It's not your fault, Ruby," Weiss said, gazing down and trying to fight off the sadness. Moira's hand found hers and gave Weiss a tender squeeze. Weiss returned the gesture. "I don't hate my father. I really don't. But it breaks my heart. He's obviously vastly intelligent. He has a business savvy with few equals. But why does he see everything as a commodity. Even my singing. I remember on my eighth birthday, all I wanted to do was make him happy. Instead, he ushered in twenty business partners and had me sing for them instead." Weiss couldn't help but tip her head down as images from the past made her relive that moment. "He turned my birthday into a business ledger."

As Moira held on to Weiss's hand, Ruby reached as she dared without leaning over the table. She placed her hand on Weiss's hand as well.

"Come, petit," Annette quietly encouraged. "Let the memory go. You are here now. You have every reason to be happy. Follow our lead and enjoy the moment."

Weiss nodded and gave both Moira and Ruby's hands a tender squeeze, then let go. "I will. I'll try. You'll see."

"You'll be just fine, Weiss," Moira gently encouraged.

"How about this?" Annette perked up, again waving her hands expressively. "A small game to lighten the mood and know each other a little better. Three questions about music. Shall we?"

"Uh, sure!" Ruby piped up. "But… uh, I'm not studied in music like you guys."

"It's only about preferences, mon amie. Personality! And if you can, say why you enjoy. Which of these do you enjoy to hear most? The trumpet, the trombone, the flute, or the baritone?"

"Trumpet!" Ruby immediately affirmed. "It's strong, and fast, and it's like –wooo! Time to lead the charge! At the same time, it can be sweet. There's no WAY I could play the trumpet, but I love it."

"A difficult choice," Moira muttered. "I prefer more classical music, especially the NeoClassical since it helps me focus during my research. However, I would have to say I enjoy the flute most. It makes me feeling like part of me is gently flying."

When all eyes turned on Weiss, she had to chuckle. "Would you believe it's the baritone? Yes, I know. I'm a soprano, but the baritone is so soothing sometimes. That and the cello."

"My my!" Annette giggled, lightly double-clapping her hands. "Already distinctions in personality! To be fair, the trombone. Mmm! So bold! And yet gentile and majestic. As well, I openly admit j'aime le jazz."

Ruby giggled. "You told me your grandfather was Cajun. After stopping by New Orleans, I can see why you love it."

Weiss grinned with glee. "I wouldn't mind stopping there again, but nothing beats this vacation. Now then, the next question?"

Annette tipped her stem of white wine up. "Favorite composer or musician?"

"Oh, that's easy," Ruby pounced. "Casey Willows. … Er, you may not know her. She's a singer on Remnant. She's young, but she has this POWERFUL voice."

Weiss slipped a hand to her face and groaned. "Why am I not surprised, Ruby? She's talented, but she is sooooo overplayed."

Moira rested her hand back on Wiess's wrist and give her a small smile. "Fair is fair, Weiss."

"Perhaps we shall choose for ourselves when we come to your Remnant, n'est pas? Now then, my dear doctor. Your turn."

Moira flustered a bit, then shifted her gaze down. "Bach." She popped her firm gaze back up at Annette when the Frenchwoman snickered. "I'm serious! I know you'll likely say that Johann Sebastian Bach is overrated, but his music is so cultured. More to the point, speaking as a scientist, it's amazing how he pioneered the properties mathematics and physics within music, and all with only his ear and his natural talents. It's amazing!"

"Hmm. I'll grant you that," Annette conceded. "It's doubtful music theory would be so strong without him. Et toi?" Annette nodded to Weiss.

"Um … Mariella Jade," Weiss affirmed and held Annette's eyes. Suddenly, Ruby snickered. Weiss couldn't help it. She started to blush. "What?!"

"Oh, please!" Ruby snarked playfully. "You've fallen head-over-heels for Brian Adams. I've seen your collection! Nice try."

"Hey!"

"It's true," Moira softly announced. "She's used my google account to order at least five CDs."

Weiss slapped a hand over face as her trio of friends giggled. There was no hiding her blush "… guuuuys?"

Annette patted her shoulder. "Oh, come now. We love you, Weiss. Of this, do not doubt. And besides, j'aime Monsieur Adams. Especially back in the 90s? Mmm! Ah, but fair is fair. My absolute favorite singer is Basia. No question." She tipped her stem of wine up in salute.

"I haven't heard of her."

Annette's eyes popped wide in mild horror. "We will correct that before tomorrow ends. Make no doubt! Now then, the finale question." She paused dramatically and graced a broad smile. "Stones or the Beatles?"

"What?"

"Oh no. Not this question again," Moira groaned.

"Bah! It is a quintessential question of personality! Come, come! I know each of you is aware of their music. There is no wrong answer. Of the two, which do you prefer?"

"Beatles," Ruby affirmed with glee. "Their music's fun, and they're soooo cute!"

"Ooooh!" Weiss groaned in a huff. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Why? They're good!" Ruby asserted.

"I won't doubt their talent and their skill, but they're more polished, more congenial. The Rolling Stones are bolder and more defiant in their music." Weiss lectured.

"How interesting you would emphasize their defiance," Annette purred. "Perhaps their essence carries closer to home?"

"Annette," Moira chided.

"No, she's right," Weiss admitted easily. She shrugged. "Perhaps that's why I'm attracted to their music more. And you?"

Annette's sly grin broadened even more. "The Stones. Who else would it be? And you, dear doctor?"

Moira bobbed her head and admitted quietly, "The Beatles."

"WHAT?!" Weiss blurted. "I'm Stones and BOTH of my best friends are BEATLES?!"

Everyone snickered, though Annette snickered the most. She patted Weiss hand. "Opposites attract, my dear."

Thankfully, the next course arrived. Weiss was grateful the portions were still small, although the spread of food was incredible. "This almost like home, but without any of the guilt," she admitted between bites.

"Is it really that much of a change?" Moira asked tenderly.

Weiss couldn't help but sigh. "More than you know. More than I've even told you. And no offense, but Annette is right. Let's just focus on the now. I've never had a time in my life like right now."

"Speaking of changes, a question, if I may?" Annette asked. Everyone nodded to her. "Change is growth, or at least it should be. I think we call _all_ agree none of us are the same person we were a year ago. I would wager this is a good thing?"

"Absolutely!"

"No question."

"I would likely still be perched over my microscope or my terminal had you not come into my life, Weiss."

Annette nodded. "I propose a question. What is one thing that has changed in your heart and your mind that you did not expect?"

"Just ONE?" Ruby congenially snorted. "Oh God, I don't even know where to begin!"

"Oy, I'm with Ruby on this one," Weiss pitched in. "I'm not sure the Weiss Schnee who first stepped foot into Beacon Academy would even believe I could exist."

Annette led a group chuckle, but waved off the concerns. "Let me clarify then. It doesn't have to be the greatest change, but something – one aspect of yourself that you never thought could be. Something meaningful. Something unexpected." She gave everyone a tender half-smile, and Weiss could feel the effect. This was a deep question, all right.

"I will lead. After all, it is I who proposed the question." Annette bobbed her head in a respectful bow, then set down her glass. Her smile gently faded and a distant, thoughtful gleam coated her eyes.

"I'm surprised how much I want to visit another planet," she quietly admitted. "As well, I WANT to stay with XCOM." She paused when she noticed the puzzled frowns. She smiled bittersweetly. "I never wanted to be part of the military. But now that I have, now that I've been part of the Temple monolith, and even more now that you, my dear friends, have opened my eyes, I want to go see. I want to go _meet_! And I want to protect. I have that power. It came to me with great pain and anguish, but it granted me the chance to save all that I love. Admittedly, I likely would not feel this way if I were not an officer, and with XCOM. Heh, certainly not without this power. Now that I have this power and have glimpsed all I can do, I _must_ go. I _must_ protect. Anything else would be… empty."

Ruby dipped her chin down and gained a thoughtful reflection Weiss had seen blossom with Ruby over the past six months. Her fingers rolled the glass stem between them.

"I've learned how much it means that people believe in me," she confessed in hushed tone. "I'm serious," she affirmed just as quietly and just as seriously without even glancing up. "I wanted to be a hero, you know? Be someone with a big portrait in the Halls of Heroes and have books written about you so that kids would remember you forever. But now…? Vance trusted me. _Really_ trusted me. He saw what I could do and what I could be long after this war. What was it Tim would say? Having faith to see beyond the here and now? Bradford, and Bolts, and Shen, and Nessy, and Phantom, and…" Her voice caught in her throat. "… and Zhang. Especially Zhang. They didn't see me as some… icon. They saw me as… a guide. A protector. A teacher! … and more, actually." She hesitated again. "I don't know how to say it. And you know what? I think that's my point!"

Ruby looked up. Her silver eyes glistened with a hit of tears, but also a glimpse of who she would be in the years to come. Though hesitant, her words rang with conviction.

"There's so much to learn, so much I don't know. I don't always have the right words. But somehow… I've… been given the chance to … be a blessing? To be that voice and that shield when people need me, even when I don't have the knowledge to say it best? I got to be there for you, Annette. Do you realize we saved more than just one world? Those… others… have been raiding and destroying for who knows how long. We were just one of _many_! But we stood up to them. We stopped them! Who knows how many other people we might have kept from sorrow, even if it's just for a little while."

Ruby's eyes widened and she blushed deeply, now suddenly (and adorably) awkward. "Er, sorry," she mumbled sheepishly. "I hope that makes sense. And… uh… I know that sounded kind of like a sermon."

"Nein," Moira quietly interjected. Weiss watched as Moira's green eyes started to gleam with a similar distant glint. "Actually, that segues well into what I can say has changed for me."

"I have devoted myself to strictly to science, to be logical and unbiased to advanced scientific application. I saw what kind of world we lived in, and I saw its many problems. I wanted to change it. I knew I could be someone to solve so many travesties, if only could find myself with the proper tools and resources. For the record, it's true that until recently, a woman had to prove her comprehension of science and logic to be taken seriously. It will be fair to say that once proven, though, only the most bigoted or willfully foolish would question my ability, but I digress."

"Nein, with no surprise to you, where I have grown most is empathy. I did not discredit that ability, but I saw little value for me. Why distract myself from critical pursuits? Why squander time with something I had little skill for when I could benefit mankind with the greater issues that I could solve? My gifts are obviously my intellect. Surely that is the best way I can contribute, yes? _Other_ people have the abilities of tenderness and compassion, so _they_ can provide such things to others, not me!" Moira's gaze shifted far down in shame. "It was prideful," she admitted in a hushed tone. "And it was also because of fear."

"Fear?" Ruby sputtered, baffled. "You?"

"Oh yes," Moira somberly admitted, eyes still focused somewhere below the table. "It was fear of failing. Fear of… being rejected. Even more than I already was." Her watery eyes timidly shifted upward. "Actually, since you've arrived, I've found myself questioning things I would have never even considered before. Strangely enough, I would say your influence has driven me even more to embrace my love of science. The possibilities! The depth of what we don't know! The assumptions we have made of our world and our understanding of science, claiming that we are smarter, wiser, and more advanced than those who came before us when many such minds of the past could grasp the vast wealth of what we may never know!

"I think of Galileo, of Socrates, and Da Vinci. How often in their studies did they affirm that the full of science is beyond them, and how intricate and complex our world is. They shunned superstitions, but they also acknowledged a genuine possibility of… something greater than us, and a greater purpose for us. Even Einstein in time stated that the sheer magnitude of complexity does not mean an absence of purpose, but increases the likelihood of life having meaning. But most of all, in reading such studies again, I've come to realize many of these great minds have pointed out our greatest advancements will not be from our mind, but from our heart."

As she continued, Moira carefully reached out her hand to Weiss. Weiss immediately took it. "And that brings us to what has changed so much for me, so much I would have enough thought possible or even worthwhile. And I thank you for your patience, but this means so much. Do you remember several months ago when Sgt. Anderson was brought in to Medical after that horrific assault on the oil refinery? In pain, he reached out to me, hoping I would hold his hand. A year ago, I would have deftly passed on such a… 'menial task' to one of the nurses. The bigger picture, I would tell myself. But what was it said? 'The bigger picture is made of smaller pictures, and each touches the other.' I knew I would struggle with even the basic patient care. I knew I would probably fail. I knew I'd stumble over my words. But I held his hand anyway. I told him to live. With such massive burns, we knew his chance of survival was one-in-eight, at best. But he lived. They _all_ lived. He thanked me. Tears in his eyes, he… thanked me."

Weiss pressed Moira's hand into hers when the woman started to shed tears. Ruby offered a tissue and let Moira wipe her tears before she silently took Moira's other hand in hers.

"I am certainly not the best at empathy. Certainly not the first you should seek for guidance." Moira sniffled as she concluded. She tightly held on to Ruby and Weiss's hands. "But now I realize I can be the voice of compassion when someone needs it. Sometimes I am the one who can help a wounded soul. I have friends. I know those around me now look on me with gladness, not apprehension. And I have you to thank for it, Weiss. I do! I will concede that… that if there are a multitude of timelines, there is certainly a possibility where one of me finds love and opens up her heart to a life of joy she never realized. But even then, no one would pull me out of my solitude like you did. No one else would show me how much more to me there could be. Certainly no one else would convince me to slip into a formal gown and spend a night in the elite of Paris, and be glad to do so. From the depths of all I am, Weiss, thank you."

"Wow," Ruby sweetly muttered. "That's a speech."

Weiss giggled, struggling with tears in her eyes. "Way to ruin a tender moment, Ruby."

"Sorryyyyyy?"

"I think she said it well," Annette agreed with a bright smile of compassion. "You have grown more than we may ever know. Thank you, my dear doctor."

Moira blushed and tipped her head down. She fidgeted, eyes darting up to where Ruby and Weiss still held her hands, but instead of retrieving her hands, she nestled all four hands tenderly closer. "And what of you, Weiss? I have no doubts you can outshine us all."

Weiss tipped her head down as well. A wistful smile graced her lips. "It's not so much what has changed, so much as figuring out what has changed the most. Confidence, obviously. Hey, don't laugh! I realize now that what I had before was bravado. It's not a bad thing, obviously, but now I know what I can truly do. Better yet, I know there is more we can do together. Confidence? Compassion? Friendship? _Humility_?! A little more than a year ago, I would have told you with all my soul that all that mattered was that I was a Schnee, and that I didn't need anyone else getting in my way. Ask Ruby. For most of our first semester, every time she offered to help, I firmly shut her down."

"Well, I was rather bumbling back then," Ruby openly admitted with a smile. "I'd chalk up a lot of that to you having insight to stay away from potential disaster."

"Ugh!" Weiss groaned, but also smiled. "You see? This is what I'm talking about. And each of you saw that arrogance in me when we all crashed into XCOM. What could all this rabble do to help me? Nothing. That's what I thought. But now? Now I've found something better than just skills to make me better. I've something better than… than rising above all the challenges of the world and proving I'm the best. Because I've found out that those who are truly the best realize they're stronger together. The best are the ones who…" Weiss had to swallow hard. "… who make a family. Most of all, now… I'm not alone."

Weiss could feel her skin shiver. For years she had cultivated her regal bearing, her shield against the cold world of wealth she lived in. And now in this foreign world, sitting in a microcosm of wealth akin to what she knew in Atlas, she could tell those defenses had slid down. And she was glad for it. She looked first to Moira and found adoration. She turned next to look on Ruby and found joy. Before she had turned to Annette, she found the woman's hand now slipping into hers. Weiss gazed up, happily confused, but doing what she could to accept this precious moment. All four women held each other's hand as they sat around this circular table. Words escaped all four of them as they relished a moment like they never expected in this banquet hall of glitz.

"Bah! Enough," Annette finally announced. She grinned as she rose up. "It is time for dancing."

"Dancing?" Ruby whined.

"Yes, dancing!" Annette demanded. "All of us! And you will enjoy it!"


	8. They Call Themselves XCOM

A/N: Alright, something a little different this time. Compass's forte is short drabbles, and _holy shit are they good._ I decided to bookend it with my two favorites, but all four are great.

* * *

 **Author:** Compass With A Hat

 **Title:** They Call Themselves XCOM

"They call themselves XCOM," Cinder reported. Salem sat before her, fingers perched. "They have become… a nuisance to me."

Salem sat calmly and quietly, letting the silence grow. Her black lips slowly spread and the queen of the grimm took a slight breath. "Explain to me Cinder. How have they become a nuisance? How are they a threat. To _you_." The accusation was clear in her tone.

Cinder started "They… their operatives are highly skilled in combat and are a hurting the ADVENT Initiative's opera-"  
"I did not ask that." Her statement shattered Cinder's excuses where they stood.

Cinder froze and tried again, "T-they attack our PR attempts and dama-"  
"I did not ask that." Salem once more interrupted. "I asked. How they are a threat. _To you."_ The Pale Faced Queen placed her hands on the black marble table in front of herself. "Try again." Her voice had grown harsh and cold.

Cinder shrunk down and mumbled something.

"What was that Cinder my dear?" The red eyed monster asked in a faux motherly voice.

Cinder shrunk more and whispered something. At this, Salem exploded. She stood instantly, throwing her table to the side and marching toward the terrified Fall Maiden. "You will speak clearly when I ask something of you." Salem ordered before she took the orange eyed beauty's cream colored chin and yanked it up so the terrified woman would look the queen of the grimm right in the eye. "Now. _Tell me why you are so scared of them._ "

* * *

"They call themselves XCOM." General Ironwood reported to an assembly. "They are highly trained, well equipped and scarily adaptable." Around him, whispers started to come from the diplomats and corporate heads as this information was revealed. "However, their most dangerous aspect is that they are willing to cooperate with as many groups and factions as possible."

Stunned silence. How was this a threat?

Ironwood continued, "They can and will ally themselves with whatever faction they can in order to gain support. They have been driven into a corner and could be easily wiped out if we so chose to."

One of the council members stood up, "Uhh… General Ironwood? Why is XCOM being friendly and easily wiped out a problem to us? If they are ever a threat, we could simply crush them! Or sway them towards our side if we want their weapons."

Ironwood sighed and it looked for a second like the weight of the world was resting on his augmented shoulders. "The reason is quite simple. They will take all support and aid because of ADVENT's actions. Including previously or currently outlaw and terrorist groups." He stood up straighter, "This group, XCOM, thrives when put in a corner and basks in conflict. We have pushed them into their most familiar territory and I don't know if we could beat them if they put effort into bringing us down."  
"Then… what will we do?" A timid council member asked after a pause.

The cybernetic general smiled. "Well…"

* * *

"... and so the four silver eyed warriors cut down the grimm as they charged. And on that day, the horde that oppressed our people was thinned." The boy spoke to his friends, he saw their faces rise as the smiled from the tale of the hero. In these Grimm infested woods, every ounce of happiness was needed. But as the low growl of a beowulf rumbled through the woods, he saw his tiny brother's face fall again.

"No, no, no. Come on! We have to be positive! Being sad calls the grimm." The boy immediately flinched as everyone shrunk down. "No. I mean- no."

His youngest sibling looked about to cry. "But… but we aren't safe. H-how can we be happy?"

Their bullhead had gone down a few hours ago and most of the crew and refugees were dead. Only one huntress in strange armor remained. She fought off the Grimm around the crash as the boy tried to keep their hopes up. "Well… we'll be rescued!"  
"But… Atlas doesn't send out patrols anymore," One of the kids replied. "A-and ADVENT didn't know about this bullhead. We're going to die! Oh sweet brothers, we are going to die!"  
The boy grabbed his panicking compatriot, "No! We can't panic and we won't die. H-help is coming." To himself he muttered, "I hope."

It was at that moment their silent guardian broke her mute vigil. "Help is on the way," she reported.

Everyone looked at her as she gazed out into the dark forest with eyes glowing faintly orange. "H-how can you be sure?" An injured man asked, "We didn't get a mayday off before the Grimm trashed our radio!"

"Because the group who is coming won't let something like that stop them. They'll find us and they'll protect us," she replied, cocking her head to listen to an inaudible sound.

The man staggered to his feet. "And how can you be so sure! Who are these people you are so sure will come to save us?"

It was at that point she raised a flare gun up to the sky and fired the bright red projectile into the air. The bright red rocket flew up and arched down, casting light over the forest. As it fell, the familiar roar bullhead engines met the groups ears.

"They call themselves XCOM." She spoke with pride.

* * *

 **Titles:** Think of Death

"You know. At times like this, I like to think of death."

"What?"  
"Death! You know. What happens after you shuffle off your mortal coil and where you go after."

"I don't see why this is relevant."  
"Y-You wouldn't" I reply, coughing up blood. That last shot pierced my lungs and I was lying there on the ground as ADVENT troopers stood above me, guns drawn. It seems my speech caught them off guard.

For one, they weren't shooting me. That was new.

"Explain. Why is this relevant. Surrender and we will provide adequate medical technology. You will be questioned before given this however, so it is in your best interest to tell us what you know."  
"Nah, I know my b-body. Bullet to lungs. I'll drown in t-two m'nutes. But back to my question. Where do you think we will go?" blood trickles from my mouth as I speak. I can feel it pooling in my lungs. "B-back home we thought of this place called Hell, where the sinners and ro-obbers and killers would go to b-be pun'shed. I've killed and sinned and robbed so I'm pretty sure I'm going to H-Hell. B-but what if 'm no-ot?" I cough up more blood. "W-what happens then?"

"Again. What is the point." the officer points his gun at me. A moot point honestly. I was a dead man. But not for the reasons they thought.

"W-well. To p-put it sim-ply." I hold up the pin for the various grenades I had left on my outfit, "If killers go to Hell. I'll see you there."

* * *

 **Title:** Last Stand of a REMCOM Operative

I guess this is it.

The Skyranger had departed under a hail of fire from an ADVENT interceptor and I had been left behind.

Not that I was bitter, no. I made the call. Highest ranking operative and all that. I made the call for Firebrand to depa- SHIT!

I duck behind my ever shrinking concrete cover as the strange ammunition the ADVENT forces use pounds it into even finer dust.

I snap around my bastion of safety to blow a poor bastard away with a triple tap to the chest. His dark red armor shatters and I see orange blood spray out of the mangled chest.

 _That makes 10_ I thought, _10 kills since I made them leave me._

My call. Always my call.

I hear the clink clank of a grenade and know I need to move right n- BOOM.

Silence.

As I am thrown from my cover, armor shredded to decorative rags, my rifle flies from the slack grip of my hands and clatters somewhere close, yet too far.

Ringing.

I land hard and feel a bone break. I'm in the open, armor destroyed and unarmed except for a holdout revolver.

I remember what Qrow told me. "6 bullets," he said, "Save one for yourself"

Right arm broken, use left.

The cold metal almost slips from my blood slicked hands as I reach, grasping for the weapon trapped under my broken body as ADVENT forces close in.

Dull ringing.

I finally find the handle and rip the deadly weapon from its holster.

Bring up to eye level, locate target and ai- BOOT!

Once again my weapon goes flying from my hand as a metal clad foot smashes into my weakened hand. My last weapon clatters almost beautifully as it clinks and tinks away from me, who needs it most.

Fear.

I looked up and saw him, no it, glare down at me.

An ADVENT trooper with a ruined chestplate dripping with orange blood.

 _9 then. Damn._ I almost laugh, but it comes out a cough as blood stains my teeth and iron flavors the very air I draw in with each painful breath.

Voices. Are they… saying something?

"-errorist, you are charged with br-king and -tring. Murder of 24 lawf-l AD-T peacek-rs. Thievery. Aiding and abetting the terrorist leader known as Central. Cooperate and tell us where your allies went and you will be given a reduced sentence." Wow, that's a big gun barrel.

"What is it with your rifles?" What am I saying, "So big, such high caliber… is something wrong behind your codpiece?"

Pain.

I now know what the rifle butt of an ADVENT service rifle to the cheek feels like. Not fun, that I can say.

"Lift it up." Metal hands grab my shoulders and hoist me to my feet. I dangle like a helpless babe as the one I shot in the chest looks me up and down.

Say, that's a fancy cape… "A-are you an ociffer?" and there goes my words. Guess I'm still concussed.

"I am an officer of the ADVENT administration, yes. You are a terrorist in allegiance with XCOM. We know of you. You will tell us where your allies went and then we shall give you a trial."

Bullshit. "Bullshit." What I said.

The officer raised an eyebrow… or I think he did? I can't see past that stupid visor!

"Then I guess you have been uncooperative and must be executed." The officer walked to the side before picking up a pistol from the ground. _My_ pistol from the ground!

"That's mine!"  
"How fitting it is used to end your terror."

Wow that's a big barrel. Was _I_ compensating for something with a gun that big?

I look the officer in the… what I hope is the eye. I hope he remembers this scene. A helpless trooper only fighting for freedom looking down the barrel of his own gun as the sound of Dust engines filled the sky.

Those engines sound really odd… not the clean hum of ADVENT bullheads… more like the loud roar of an… XCOM… Firestorm...

Could it be? No. Impossible.

I sent them away. No one would come back for a single soldier.

I'm not even that important, no one would come back for a single soldier.

The officer lowered my stolen gun, could he hear this as well?

Suddenly a fighter roared overhead and 6 shapes appeared right behind it. Black silhouettes against the shining sun as they plummeted.

Bombs? No, they are moving and the shape isn't right.

MECt's? No, too slim and moving too slow.

"HUNTSMEN!" Ah, thanks officer. XCOM Sent fucking Huntsmen to save me.

 _XCOM SENT FUCKING HUNTSMEN TO SAVE ME._

 _WHAT?_

Something bubbles in my chest, something deep and primal, the iron on my tongue gives my voice power as my mouth opens and my throat backs up with pressure as hundreds, thousands of words feel the need to pour out.

But all I have are two.

As High heels, combat boots and one pair of sneakers slam onto the fractured and battle worn pavement I shout at the top of my lungs two words.

Words of anger.

Words of victory.

Words of rebellion.

Words of _promise._

"VIGILO CONFIDO!"

* * *

 **Title:** We Go Out

The news was getting worse. The ADVENT initiative was cracking down on resistors and people were getting afraid. Faith in XCOM was dropping and in one hidden safehouse, a point was reached.

A question was asked.  
"Why do you keep fighting?"

It was a simple and honest question, one born of desperation and fear. 'Why keep fighting when we can only lose' asks the one who has lost too much. 'Why keep fighting if they are too big' asks the one who has always been small. 'Why keep fighting if we aren't going to change anything' asks the one unable to take control.

These questions have been asked time and time again, but today someone answered.

"Because of an oath I swore long ago." an XCOM operative replied, his box of medicine woefully under-equipped to deal with the massive bullet hole in a small child's side. "It was not an oath of enlistment with my right hand raised or an oath to my service. It was an oath to every person in need." As he finished doing what he could, he moved on. His legs nearing collapsed as he blinked spots away from his eyes. The trio of bullets in his side cried out in pain, trying to force him to rest. But he still had work to do.

"I swore on a little blue book that I would not give up on a cause unless I tried and was killed during the attempt. When storms ground the greatest air force of the world, when waves trap the navy to their moorings, when snow keeps the army from marching, there will come a call. A call for help." He finished up cleaning a festering wound and stood proud for the watching group, his arms shaking in pain, but proud.

"A call that no one else would hear. I could pretend I could not hear it. I could pretend it was impossible to do so I shouldn't. But I won't."  
The XCOM medic took a step forward as blood seeped through the haphazard bandage under a damaged flak vest. Everyone took a step back, not out of fear, but respect for the sheer aura of command this man held.  
"I swore, with Mother Nature as my witness and my crew as my confidants, that I would provide aid." His voice never rose but power and distilled determination flowed off his weary shoulders. "I swore to be always ready for the call, so when the winds turn against me and the seas try to sink me, I would go out. So that when Death himself tells me, 'this one is mine,' I would be there to wrench that victim from his clutches. Before I was XCOM, I was part of the United States Coast Guard. And We. Go. Out."  
On the table a radio called out. An ADVENT force had ambushed an XCOM medical supply shipment and they had wounded and dead. They called for support, reinforcements and help.  
The man, the medic, the XCOM operative just shifted his vest and grabbed his rifle after hearing that radio.

"I go out" were his last words to us before he went through that door one more time. Wounded, tired, dirty and bleeding… He went out.


	9. We All Show Love Differently

A/N: So this chapter is one that looks into an idea that I would love to explore in Remnant Unknown, but can't really afford to because it's not particularly relevant to the plot. At the same time, this kind of character-focused writing is what adds that extra _something_ to the people of REMCOM, so I'm happy that TFTA offers the opportunity to publish these sort of stories in parallel with RU.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **Title:** We All Show Love Differently

 **Author:** SirMandokarla

"When the repast was over, Sinbad thus addressed his guests: 'My friends, I request you to have the kindness to listen to me while I relate the adventures of my second voyage'…"

Blake trailed off, looking up to see Pyrrha finally asleep. As quietly as she could, she replaced the bookmark and placed the massive hardcover down on Pyrrha's bedside table. Then she stood and started towards the door.

She was halfway there when the handle started to turn.

The next pair of steps were a blur. Blake came around the door as it opened, reached out, and covered Jaune's mouth before the man could say something stupid. Which was to say, anything.

His eyes went wide and he almost cried out into her hand, but the sound aborted into a quiet grunt of surprise. He looked at her glare, then over her shoulder - really, over her head - at the sleeping, unnaturally motionless form of Pyrrha Nikos.

Blake tilted her head, he nodded, and she took her hand from his mouth. They left the room, closing the door carefully behind them.

Jaune watched the door for a long moment after it closed. He was still wearing his armour, which meant he'd just come back from whatever assignment he'd been needed for the last couple of days. It was hard to keep track.

"She's not usually asleep so early," he whispered.

Blake rolled her eyes. "Yang was reading to her last night. It was… Yang."

Jaune nodded and gave a weak smile. Yang had, according to most of the ship, the best reading voice of the group. It was an opinion widely shared despite of the fact that Yang had only ever read to Ruby or Pyrrha in her entire life. Sleep didn't often factor into her bedtime stories.

"Thanks, Blake."

Blake suppressed a frown. It was a stupid thing to thank her for, as if she or anyone needed or wanted any acknowledgement for keeping a friend company. No matter what state that friend was in.

No. Especially given the state Pyrrha was in.

"She's… how is she?"

Blake let out a sigh. More words that just didn't matter. But…

"No change," she told him. "In physical condition or…" she trailed off.

Pyrrha had been distant since she'd been injured. She was tearing herself up for a list of things Blake couldn't begin to describe and probably only Jaune understood. The only thing she could really comprehend was that Pyrrha thought of herself as a burden. Yang, Jaune, and the others had been vocal about that, but Blake hadn't been able to speak up the same way. It wasn't that she agreed with Pyrrha. Rather, she understood.

Blake had spent weeks after waking up with her new limbs knowing she would never be the same again. The metal, her sense of touch, her Semblance, they'd all been so different. She'd woken up from her attack and found herself in yet another nightmare. The horrible thing was that, when she'd finally started to accept what had happened, this exact image was one of the things she'd repeated to herself to stave off resentment.

At least she'd been able to move, able to run, even to fight. At least she hadn't been… like Pyrrha was now.

Blake could understand the resentment that would come from that. If she, herself, had thought for even a second that death would be preferable to her metal limbs, then it didn't take much to imagine how Pyrrha might feel.

"She used to fidget," Jaune murmured. His eyes darted to the door, then back to Blake's bemused look. "In her sleep. It's what I noticed when I walked in. Sometimes it hits me, and it's not fair that I can forget like that, not when it's my fault she's-"

"Stop." Blake put two fingers in front of Jaune's mouth. Don't say that, she wanted to say. Don't think that. Don't let her know or even think you believe that. But that was an argument they'd all had with him enough. So she just said, "my turn to talk."

And he just shut down. It was a trick Blake knew. One of those last vestiges of the shy, awkward boy Jaune had been back when they met.

The things one learned, watching instead of talking all the time. Sometimes she wondered what Ren could reveal about XCOM and Beacon, if he were ever asked.

Except, now that she'd gotten Jaune to shut up and stop blaming himself out loud, she wasn't sure what to say. It was a downside of being quiet all the time. If she were more like Yang, she'd probably just talk and talk until she stumbled on the perfect thing to say.

Blake couldn't help but smile at that. Well, she could give it a shot. The taciturn bibliophile opened her mouth and just started connecting dots as fast as she could.

"Something I learned after leaving the White Fang is that sometimes you have to take what you can get and leave it at that," she said, drawing on the worry and hopelessness Jaune must be feeling. "Pyrrha's progressing as best she can. Until she's better, she's got all of XCOM, RWBY, and JNPR working in some way to help her. She might not be ready to admit it to herself, but she's got an entire ship full of people who care about her… Full of family."

Blake actually smiled. "You're like Yang," she said. "Now that Pyrrha can't escape, you'll smother her with affection. Whatever she's feeling right now, whatever she's thinking, she can't possibly feel alone. Not deep down."

Jaune's look of worry resurged somewhere in there, and it took Blake a half a second to realize what she'd said wrong. When she did, she threw an angry, silent curse Yang's way. How could that girl always say the right thing like it was easy and Blake was stuck blundering into implying that Jaune's girlfriend was trapped with him?

At the same time, she started to sympathize with Ruby and Jaune as she scrambled for something to say that might dig her out of the hole she'd just dug for herself.

"Greece," she blurted, and Jaune looked at her with the same look she'd probably be giving herself if she could. Her mouth opened, forming around silent words for a second, then she bulled forward. "You spent the entire time right by her side, and -" don't mention the seasickness "- she was happier than you've ever seen her, wasn't she?"

It was a guess. An informed guess, given her own life experience and the stories Pyrrha would tell, but…

Jaune's expression went through a series of emotions that were only half positive, and settled on a discomfited look.

Blake swore at herself, remembering the story about Pyrrha and Jaune dancing together.

This was the equivalent of a conversation in the Grimmlands. Or a minefield, if she wanted to use Earth vernacular.

Both of them stood there, in silence, for long seconds. Jaune looked about to say something, but in the agonized, conflicted way he got when that something was supposed to be a secret.

Please, Blake thought, somebody save me. Anybody.

Her ears perked up at the sound of somebody coming up the corridor.

Then that person turned the corner.

Anybody but her!

Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY, raised her hand in greeting.

Jaune saw Blake's widening eyes and turned, one finger already to his lips. Together, both he and Blake hissed a quiet, united "shh!"

Ruby's greeting died in her throat, but she pressed her lips together, glanced at the closed door, and nodded fervently.

Knowing Ruby's inability to stay quiet, Blake hurried over to her with Jaune in tow.

Jaune was the one who glanced down and asked, in a tone just above a whisper, "what's that you've got in your hand?"

Ruby's eyes went wide and she grinned, bringing up a contraption of some kind in her hands.

Blake didn't pay attention to the rectangular metal… no, her brain was still stuck on "contraption"... because she cared less about it than the sigh of relief she was holding in.

And then Ruby squealed happily. Blake winced.

"This," the Captain said proudly, "is a Real Page-Turner."

Blake tilted her head. "You… capitalized the name?" That was almost a talent.

Jaune glanced at her, then asked the other question Blake had been thinking.

"Isn't that name a little… Yang?"

Ruby's smile dropped and she fidgeted with the- Blake was calling it Contraption for the foreseeable future. "Yeah," she grumbled. "Yang found out I was building it, so she named it and now I can't think of another name for it."

Well, anything had to be better than Real Page-Turner, like…

Blake came up blank, then glanced at Jaune to find him wearing an expression that probably matched hers. She sighed.

"What's it for?" Jaune asked.

Ruby held the book up over her head demonstratively. "You just put the book in like this and it'll hold your page for you, and if you move this, then it'll turn the page. You can even turn back if you need to, but you have to twist this over here to get it to go the other way… I don't know if Pyrrha can do that, but I tried to make it really simple so she can do it all with her Semblance, maybe."

Ruby trailed off, looking uncertain, until Jaune stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. Ruby's arms came down so she was awkwardly hugging Jaune back, but for all that it looked uncomfortable, she seemed happy.

"So… you think she'll like it?"

Jaune laughed. "Well, it'll be better than the terrible puppet show Beagle had the troops put on." Then, in a whisper, he said, "thank you, Ruby."

He stepped back, smiling slightly.

Blake also stepped back, meaning to fade into the shadows and leave the pair to talk about whatever they wanted. Probably how to wrap up the gift and present it to Pyrrha.

Then Yang stepped around the corner. The blonde looked at Blake, then at Jaune and Ruby, and slowed to a stop as they all three put their fingers to their lips with a shushing motion.

"Oh," she said. She, too, took a glance at the closed door to Pyrrha's room. "I thought you'd be- I mean- I guess Pyrrha's asleep, then?"

Blake nodded.

"So how far did you get? Did Ruby get to give Pyrrha the real page-turner?"

Blake frowned, and Yang grinned. With a roll of her eyes, Blake said, "I just finished Sinbad's first-"

Voices started sounding from down the hall.

No, just one voice, but echoing loudly.

The four of them exchanged a series of glances, then hurried to the corner to look down the hall towards the noise. Then, as a group, they started running. Quietly.

By the time they reached Nora and Ren, Nora's volume was starting to ring off the walls. Ruby reached the pair first, but it was Yang who was brave enough to tackle Nora to the ground with a shockingly loud, "sshhh!" as they rolled.

Leaving the plate of pancakes Nora had been holding in mid-air for a seeming eternity.

Blake dove forward with all the power her metal limbs could muster and broke the plate's fall - but not the pancakes. The food, even syrup-free, still compressed as the plate's motion stopped, then started to spring upwards and-

A fork shot into the pile, pinning the topmost pancakes to the ones below and saving the entire pile from disaster. And, by extension, saving team them all from Nora's wrath.

Blake looked up from the floor and gave Ren a weak smile. "Thanks," she managed.

He nodded and stooped to pick up the plate, then Ruby helped her up.

Jaune, however, was staring daggers at the pancakes. As Yang and Nora got to their feet, squabbling loudly, the Lieutenant snapped, "Master Sergeant Valkyrie!"

Nora gave a loose sort of salute and locked eyes with Jaune. Nora looked stunned, and Blake couldn't blame her. It wasn't often they saw Jaune angry.

"What are you doing making so much noise in the hall near Pyrrha's room? She's sleeping!" The blond knight closed his eyes tight and let out a long, long breath. Then he opened them again and, in a quiet voice, said, "Nora, you know how you are with pancakes. What if they'd fallen? The Avenger can't handle that kind of thing, and even if it could, Pyrrha can't."

Nora actually looked lost for words, and hurt.

Ren was the one who spoke first. "It's my fault, Lieutenant," he said, and visibly steeled himself against what was left of Jaune's glare. "Nora convinced me to make some and bring them to Pyrrha."

"I just thought pancakes always cheer me up, so why not…" Nora trailed off as Jaune looked back at her, and she finished, "we're just not back very often, and I wanted to see her…"

Jaune's gaze finally softened completely and Blake found herself letting out a held breath and stepping away from Yang, whom she'd unconsciously gravitated to.

The anger of a gentle man, she thought, remembering a story she'd read about things wise men feared. The fact that Jaune believed he didn't care enough for and hadn't done enough for Pyrrha was something only he could think. Nobody else had ever questioned how much he cared about any of them.

"You were going to bring her pancakes?" Jaune asked. He sounded like himself again.

Nora nodded hopefully.

Jaune smiled. "She's asleep right now," he said gently. "Maybe you could give her the pancakes in the morning?"

"No!" Nora crossed her arms in front of her in an X. "Morning's in four hours and Pyrrha might not wake up for nine! You can't expect her to eat nine-hour-old pancakes!"

Blake snorted. "You probably don't even know what nine-hour-old pancakes look like."

Nora nodded, wide-eyed. "Exactly! We can't take that risk! We'll just have to get up early and make more pancakes for her!"

Ren nodded without his usual sigh of exasperation.

Blake looked around. Everybody was there, at least those who could be. As the mood calmed and everybody started talking together, it was the peaceful sort of gathering she really wished Pyrrha wasn't missing because of sleep. Even so, it wasn't Blake's thing. So the faunus stepped back and, again, started to leave the group to their socializing.

Yang grabbed her by the shoulders before she could make good her escape.

"Hey, guys, I've got an idea," said the ebullient blonde, "let's get back to the bunks, Nora can finish up the pancakes, Ruby can tell us all about her invention, then we can wake up bright and early to go see Pyrrha together. What do you say?"

Blake smiled and, though she didn't cheer with the rest, she nodded along with Ren. Once, just to show they agreed and approved.

Then the group dragged the bibliophile away to socialize for some intolerable amount of time.

Back in her room, well within earshot of everything her friends had said since closing her door, Pyrrha slept. For the first time in a long time, it was a peaceful sleep, both quiet and restful, and if she didn't dream happy dreams, at least, for one night, her nightmares stayed away.


	10. Love is Serious Business

V.N. : Hello everybody, and welcome to a special episode of TFTA! As most of you know, today is single awareness day, also known as Valentine's day! And so, with the help of the amazing SirMandoKarla, we bring you a special chapter! It's about love (obviously) but not just one kind of love! After all, love comes in more than one shape! So, hope you'll enjoy this little chapter. And remember,even if you don't go on a date tomorrow, give a gift to one person. You. Give yourself a gift to remind yourself of how much you love yourself

* * *

 **Title:** Love is Serious Business

 **Author(s):** Vinpap, Vinpap, SirMandokarla, Vinpap

Loves comes in all shapes and forms. Loves is intangible, unmeasurable and, most importantly, unquantifiable. But most importantly, more than one kind of love exist. While this may have been the "Day of Love" and mostly couples would partake in its celebration, Taiyang had always done things differently.

And so, here he was, sitting on a chair near an occupied bed in the medbay, waiting for the man sleeping to wake up. After an accident involving a grenade, an unlucky throw from MacAuley and a day of clearing the area of Grimms, Qrow's aura hadn't held and had shattered because of the explosion, forcing the man to spend a few more days in the medbay before being allowed to leave. So Taiyang had sacrificed himself to serve as the watcher while Qrow slept and the girls went out for something else.

He smiled softly when he heard Qrow grumble in his bed, slowly awakening and already expressing his displeasure at the world. Taiyang closed his book, crossing his arms as he kept observing his friend, and rolled his eyes, not saying anything at his friend's words, while sporting a small smile on his lips.

A few moments later and Qrow was awake, straightening himself in his bed, grumbling to himself as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, alert eyes darting from side to side until they noticed Taiyang, making the huntsman calm down at the sight of someone he could recognize.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to understand this… But apparently I fell victim to, and I quote, a Massey. Don't know what they doctors mean by that but it seems to be something regular for them…"

"Whatever it means, at least you were treated appropriately, that's all that matters I think."

Qrow hummed softly, closing his eyes as he put his head back on the pillow, letting the soothing silence help him relax. After a few minutes he turned to look at Tai, a raised eyebrow showing his feelings perfectly.

"So… Care to explain to me what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Tai asked, surprise tainting his voice, looking at Qrow like he had a second head.

"Why are you here? Something you wanted to tell me?"

Oh. Tai sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, crossing his legs and uncrossing them just as quickly, trying to find the proper words.

"Well… I just wanted to make sure you were okay you know?"

"Tai. Please."

Qrow's tone made it clear that he wasn't feeling like playing around. Tai sighed loudly, closing his eyes to compose himself before locking eyes with his friend.

"After Raven left and Summer died, you and the girls are the only family I still have. I don't want to lose you."

Qrow blinked slowly at the other man before nodding slowly, crossing his arms as he thought about Tai's words. A long sigh escaped his lips before he smirked at his friend, a soft laugh escaping his lips.

"You tell me that only because you want to go for the whole team."

"Can't you take this seriously for like… five minutes?" Tai asked with a snort, shaking his head slowly

"But I am serious! First Raven, then Summer, I must be the third in line." Qrow said with a smirk before shaking his head slowly, a soft smile replacing his smirk quickly. "Thank you."

"It's normal to act this way and care about your loved if they are assholes."

"Hey, we've been partners for two decades, you should expect it by now."

"We may be partners, but you've been going around the world with weeks, months even, without you even telling us anything. Qrow, if you died during one of those missions, I wouldn't have known for who knows how long." Tai said in a soft voice, but his stern eyes conveyed the words he didn't say effortlessly.

"I… I'm sorry, but Tai, you see…"

"No you don't have to explain. I just want you to understand how we felt every time you left. Just… Be careful. And send a message once in a while would you?"

Qrow laughed softly, nodding slowly at the other man.

"And to think that I snarked at Ironwood about using the send button."

Tai laughed slowly, a smirk on his lips as he nodded at his oldest friend. They may squabble and they may fight, but in the end, they were family. And family takes care of each other. Through thick and thin

"Hey Qrow?"

"Yeah?"

"Just so you know… We love you. All three of us."

"Yeah… I do too."

* * *

This had become a somewhat recurring pattern through the weeks. Once in a while, Weiss would find a way to contact XCOM's covert team, the team having grown with a few more Atlas locals as Odei had continued her effort to secure a steady supply stream, as well as an extensive list of contacts to call for support if needed be. This had made it easier for Weiss to get in touch with her contact, since it never stayed the same for long. But when she received a message to meet with the team as soon as possible, Weiss didn't waste time in running out of her home.

When she made it to their newest base of operation, Weiss was surprised to see it almost empty. She frowned and put a hand on the hilt of her sword, ready for something to jump on her.

"Ah, there you are."

Weiss turned around instantly, ready to skewer her assailant through the heart if needed. But she calmed down when she recognized Odei, arms raised to show she wasn't armed.

"I sent everybody home or out on a mission so you could have the base for yourself for a little while."

"Why?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow, a worried look on her face.

"For the last few days we've been receiving weird files through our communications with the Avenger. We were given the codes to unlocking those files earlier. It was a few messages aimed at you. I'm not telling you more than that." Odei answered, a grin on her lips as she did so, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

"hum… Okay?"

"Welp, that's it for me, see you next time. Don't forget to lock behind you and all that."

And with that, Orei left the room, leaving the covert base in and eerily silence. Sitting in front of the computer, Weiss turned the screen on, eyebrows raised in excitement and worries at the same time. After the screen finished booting up, she took a deep breath and double clicked on the first file.

" _Hey Weiss! It's me! Your bestie better than the restie!"_

Weiss snorted loudly when she saw the beaming smile sitting on Ruby's face, a fond smile itching its way on her own lips as well.

" _I felt bad that you weren't keeping up with what's happening to us so… I decided to inform you myself. You know, like a good team leader would do."_

Weiss's lips lost their smile as she saw the melancholic look on Ruby's face, making the heiress worried that something was going on.

" _We've been on Patch for the last few days but we're about to leave now. We managed to repair one of Ironwood's airship and we are putting the finishing touches on it right now. It should be able to fly us pretty much everywhere in the world as long as we manage to secure a steady supply of Dust. But we're looking for a new homebase. That's why Yang and Blake are going to leave for Menagerie soon. See with her parents if they are okay with us setting up a base over there. After what Cinder did, we're scared for our safety so we're moving out. We're heading out for Mountain Glenn. I'll keep you informed._

 _I… I miss you._

 _But I hope you're okay._

 _Love you._

Weiss surprised herself to be smiling like she was and rubbed her hand across her cheek, removing the few tears that were flowing from her eyes. She smiled when she saw that there were more videos on the computer and so she quickly clicked on the next one.

 _Oh my god Weiss! I wish you could see this! There are snake people! Alien space people! And they look awesome! Look at this!_

The camera swapped from the frontal camera to the back camera, making Weiss jump when she saw what seemed to be snake with a humanoid upper body. She repressed her scream when she saw Ruby talk with one and it answered with a fluttering of its tongue. The camera then quickly changed back to it's frontal view, showing Ruby with a large smile looking at the camera

 _I have no clue what it… she… just said but it's so cool! They live under mountain Glenn and they even have other humans helping them! It's just… Gaw!_

Weiss laughed softly, shaking her head at her friend's antics.

 _Anyway, I'll keep you informed as we find more stuff!_

 _Love you!_

Weiss quickly clicked on the third and then fourth file, looking each and everyone of them with a large smile and rabid interest as she saw more of what happened to her team. She learned about Menagerie, about Annette probably finding her semblance, about the various antics happening on the Avenger. For many more minutes, Weiss kept watching videos after videos, each and everyone of them with Ruby reminding her of three simple words

 _I love you_

It may not be much, but at the point Weiss was in, it meant a lot. With the situation with her father, with the chaos in her home country, nothing made sense anymore. And Ruby's simple reminder, that she cared about her, meant more than anything the younger girl could probably imagine. When she reached the final message, Weiss had a sad smile. Did she really want to watch this message? Not really. Because it meant there weren't any message after that one and… It meant that she would be alone once more.

After a few moments to compose herself, she too a deep breath and opened the last file and she gasped when she saw the woman being filmed.

 _Guten Tag Weiss. I hope you are doing well. It's been a while isn't it? When Ruby informed me of what she was planning, I decided to send you a little something myself. You never realize what you have until you don't have it anymore._

 _Weiss, you've been an amazing friend and you have many people who can't wait to see you once more. But let me tell you, so am I. You had been supporting me for a year until we were separated and it only dawned on me that I was missing something after we were on the Avenger and you weren't there to support me._

 _You helped me realize that there is more in my role than to do some research, that I could develop a deeper relationship with the other members of XCOM._

 _So allow me to tell you something I haven't said to you enough._

 _Danke. For everything._

 _And believe me, we'll see eachother sooner rather than later._

Weiss took a long moment to process what she just saw and she collapsed, tearing up and sobbing loudly as everything fell in place. Despite being across the world from each other, her friends didn't stop thinking about her and supporting her.

Ruby was right. She loved them all so so much. She couldn't wait to see her friends once more.

* * *

For every month, a year.

For every month, a year.

Those words cycled through her mind over and over again, as they'd done every day trapped on this world, but especially today.

"Happy two year anniversary," the soldier whispered, "or… you know."

She walked down the dock towards the ocean of Kuo Kuana. Cheering and fireworks filled the air to her back, but there wasn't anything there that tempted her today. Any other day, she would be there, enjoying the comfort of so many people thrilled and happy and content with victory, grateful to her and XCOM for what they'd done.

Not today, though. Today, she needed some quiet.

She reached the edge of the dock and pressed her feet into the wood, toes feeling out the grain, the realness of the world and this place they'd saved. It was a beautiful town, a wonderful world. Here, she was saving lives.

There was still a part of her that just wanted to go home.

The tiny ridges of the wood, the cold of a single nail, the warm breeze…

Then she leapt, hit the water, and started counting.

Inside her mind, the seconds passed one by one.

 _Twelve, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight, one minute…_

For every day, two hours.

For every hour, five minutes.

For every minute, five seconds.

The scientist could follow the pattern down to planck time, and often had. Not today, though. Today, she couldn't think, couldn't concentrate. How long had it been since she'd slept? There'd been people who'd made her sleep before, back when… she pushed her mind to remember, but only one face came to mind. The same one that was always there.

"Time is on our side," the Central Officer said.

For every day, two hours.

There was something soft. The scientist opened her eyes and saw her pillow, but she couldn't remember if she'd walked to her room or been carried. A distant part of her mind cried that she was wasting time, too tired to be useful. The rest screamed out, "for every day, two hours."

In a way, it was she who was being lost, not her dear bird.

The clock sat beside her bed, and through the sleep-addled haze, the scientist counted.

One…

Two…

Three…

Four…

A minute passed.  
Five…

Memory sparked, and as she drifted off to sleep, so tired she didn't even notice how hungry she was, the young woman murmured, "happy two year anniversary…"

* * *

"Emerald?" Cinder asked, without looking away from the screen she was looking at, a bored voice escaping her lips.

"Yes Ma'am?" Emerald answered, a large smile on her lips as she moved closer to Cinder.

The room stayed silent for a moment, before Cinder sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose "Sorry, I thought I had something to tell you but it escaped my thoughts."

"Oh…"

* * *

V.N. And here we have it! Emerald didn't get a love declaration despite love being in the air for everybody. For those wondering about the third story, these characters are part of the REMCOM rp we have on discord. If you want to meet them, you'll have to come join us!

Happy Valentine's day everybody and remember, I love you!


	11. All the Color of Paris: Part Three

A/N: Well it's about damn time that I swung back around to Gryff's Paris Trilogy to wrap it up. There's not much to say, really. Gryffen's work speaks for itself. Enjoy

* * *

 **Title:** All the Colors of Paris: Part 3

 **Author:** Gryffen

Ignoring giddy protests, Annette pulled Ruby and Weiss, and by extension Moira, to the spacious and active dance floor. Before long, they found themselves merely going with the flow of things. Somewhere between a hundred and two hundred people swirled or bobbled about the dance floor. Some dancers moved with such elegance it was a joy to watch. Others? It was a joy just to see someone merrily waddle about. Weiss found herself laughing. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast, the dance floor and the music provided steadily carried Weiss's concerns away. It was like joy was a blanket, and right here and right now she could wrap herself in it and snuggle.

About thirty minutes later, Weiss had to excuse herself to wander off to the bathrooms. When she was done, she hummed merrily to herself as she washed her hands. Her mind focused on nothing in particular, merely enjoying the moment. As she finished up, she found Moira waiting apprehensively in the alcove.

"If … I may have a moment, Weiss," she began nervously. "Please."

"Of course, Moira. Is something wrong?"

"Nein! Of course not!" Moira asserted, shaking her head. "It is just that … things were said. Most of which I am grateful for! There is something … Pfui! I'm making a fool of myself."

Weiss frowned sadly as she watched her dear friend tear herself apart emotionally. Something inside Weiss suspected she might know what topic was on Moira's mind, and while she didn't feel comfortable even thinking about it, deep in her heart she knew Moira deserved the best friendship she could offer.

"Doctor," Weiss addressed in the pleasant assurance she knew worked well for Moira. "After all we've been through, you have nothing to be ashamed. If … it's a difficult topic, then we can speak of it and move on."

Moira grew silent. Her sharp, bright eyes focused directly on Weiss while she slowly rested her folded hands before her. "I … perhaps I shouldn't even mention this. It is selfish, but … I can't help it. If there was ever a way to thank you for all you've done, to tell you how much you mean to me, there can be no better way."

Weiss returned a grateful smile. "You've already thanked me, Moira. You really are one of the best friends I've ever had. I'm the one who should thank you."

Moira slowly smiled. Her eyes sparkled with adoration. "This is what I am talking about." She took a deep breath. "Annette was right. I hesitate to say this since you have a family, and you deserve to have the best life with your family. But she's right. I have long since given up the idea of having a family, but I can't imagine having a better daughter than you. You have made me proud in ways I never imagined. I am not your mother, but … but if I was, I wish you would know how truly amazing you are, and how proud I would be to be your mother."

Weiss dipped her head down and fought off tears. Her heart leapt into her throat. She would not cry. She would not cry! Trembling, it took her a while before she found her voice again. She couldn't bring herself to look back up at Moira.

"…. You would make an incredible mother," she blurted out, then caught herself. She shoved that thought down. Shoulders back, she composed her constricted voice. "I have a family," she managed. "They're not a good family. They have every reason and resource to be a good family, but they're not. But that's no excuse. They're my family. I …. I still love them. I choose to love them. Because now I know I can choose. I could stay here if I wanted to." Her voice almost failed again. "And thanks to you, I know … I can stand tall. I can make those choices. And because of that, I'm choosing to go back to my family and do all I can to give us one more chance."

Tears started to spill. Weiss couldn't hold back the guilt. She looked up, her heart tearing apart, hoping that Moira could understand. "I have to try," she pleaded. "I have to."

She realized after she looked up that she never needed to worry. The joy and pride in Moira's eyes only radiated stronger. Her smile was pained and bittersweet, but proud. Moira took another step closer and cradled the left half of Weiss' face in her hand.

"Go with my blessings," Moira whispered.

Weiss found herself somehow enveloped in Moira's hug. She allowed herself a moment to let herself feel this way – to imagine if somehow only this world were real and there was no other Weiss Schnee than the daughter of this woman she adored. "… I'd better let go before I stain your gown," she managed though a sniffle. "With all my upbringing, it would be a shame to thoughtlessly damage something so lovely."

Moira chuckled softly through shared tears. She released her, stepped back, and helped Weiss brush away the remaining tears.

Once they had composed themselves, Moira offered her arm. "Shall we join the others?"

Weiss nodded, eyes still sparkling. "Yes," she whispered through a smile. "That sounds lovely."

They eased back on to the dancefloor without any difficulties. They caught eyes with Ruby and Annette, then let themselves get swept up again in the merriment.

After another twenty minutes or so, the music halted as it had several times before, although this time Weiss noticed Annette was grinning at the stage, and her hands on her hips. Curious, Weiss turned and looked for herself.

"Is that?"

"It is," Annette drawled.

"Apparently, you aren't the only member of X-Com to sweettalk your way into this fine establishment," Moira drawled.

Standing together, Weiss, Ruby, Annette, and Moira smiled in open bemusement as two familiar, tuxedo-clad male members of X-Com casually sauntered on to the stage. They were accompanied by two other finely-dressed men, and they took a moment to whisper conspiratorially among themselves.

"What are they doing?"

"They touched the stage," Annette informed them, grinning. "On purpose, I think."

"Knowing him? No doubt about it," Moira added.

After a moment longer, soft trumpets and strings sounded again. Weiss pondered, because they sounded strangely familiar. She had to laugh when Annette buried her face in her hands before laughing aloud.

"A Summer Place? AGAIN?" she cackled.

No one seemed to mind. In fact, just about everyone chuckled and swiftly flowed into the easy waltz. What pleasantly surprised Weiss the most was how well the quartet of men blended. The lyrics were unfamiliar, but heart-warming.

" _There's a summer place_

 _Where it may rain or storm_

 _Yet I'm safe and warm_

 _For within …."_

Weiss was suddenly surprised to hear a soft, pleasant voice invite her. "Dance with me? Please?"

She turned around, absently realizing she had been standing on the dancefloor, having let herself get caught up in this song that was new to her. She was even more surprised to find Ruby was standing there, hand lifted palm-up and with a sweet smile. Weiss felt her heart flutter.

"What?"

"… _that summer place…"_

" _May_ I have this dance?" gorgeous, starlight-draped Ruby sweetly pressed again.

" _Your arms reach out to me..."_

"It's kind of slow and sweet, and … I'd rather not just stand here to hear it. Doesn't feel right," She shrugged. "There's no one else around I'd rather share it with."

" _And my heart is free … from all care."_

Weiss felt her jaw hang open. Indecision clutched her brain. Instead, somehow, she nodded. She took Ruby's hand and stepped congenially close. It wasn't romantic, Weiss realized, but it was truly sweet.

They didn't speak much. Instead, they let themselves slowly flow with the music and enjoy these lyrics for the first time.

" _There's no gloomy skies_

 _When seen through the eyes_

 _Of those who are blessed …_

… _With love."_

" _And the sweet secret of_

 _A summer place_

 _Is that it's anywhere_

 _When two people share_

 _All their hopes_

 _All their dreams_

 _All their love."_

Weiss found herself quietly laughing. She feared Ruby might find it all strange, but instead dazzling Ruby just joined her, softly laughing and enjoying the moment. Weiss couldn't help but grin at the joyous insanity. Who would have thought being slung across time and space to end up on a war for survival would end up with one of the happiest and carefree times of her life?

" _There's a summer place_

 _Where it may rain or storm_

 _But I'm safe and warm_

 _For there's a place (with you)_

 _A summer place (with you)_

 _A summer place (with you)_

 _A summer place…."_

 **THWAP!**

The loud slap resounded almost like a thunderclap, shattering the cozy feelings the song had given. The sound struck within a second after the song had ended, Weiss realized in her shock. It was the sound of a hand slapping down heavily on wood. She turned wide-eyed to the stage only to find her herself thunderstruck. Her eyes grew even wider.

Standing at the foot of the stage, Annette pressed her right hand proudly down on the heavy wood, smirking.

"No."

"Ici, mes amie!" Annette beckoned openly. "Come. Come! Our time awaits."

"Hey, no fair," the fellow X-Com soldier teased. "We were here first. We've barely enough begun our set!"

"Rules are rules," Annette retorted with a mischievous grin. "And you may have your set after we done, now go! Go, go, go, go, go, GO!"

Weiss stood there, dumbstruck with Ruby, as Annette gleefully marched on stage and vigorously waved the men off. Annette turned to the microphone. Grinning ear-to-ear, she announced, "Qu'est-ce que c'est? Did you actually think you weren't going to sing tonight? A promise is a promise!"

Weiss and Ruby shared a flabbergasted glance. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Moira trying to make a discrete getaway.

"Nono!" Annette announced again, raising her index finger up and shaking it sidelong. "So impolite. Your attention? You see my three companions, non?" She nimbly pointed out all three of them. "If you would be so kind as to guide them to our stage, I believe a song is required of each, n'est pas? Merci Beaucoup."

"Mais oui!" the audience chorused with glee.

Growling rather unladylike, Weiss found she couldn't escape. No one laid a finger on her, Ruby, or Moira, but a minute later, they were all herded toward the stage.

"I'm going to get you for this," Weiss growled, not caring that the microphone caught her voice. The audience chuckled, clearly amused and experienced in such matters. Moira did her best to cringe and artfully hide behind Ruby.

"Oh, come come. We all have such pretty voices, non?" Annette crooned, then addressed the audience. "And our friends here merely wish us well, c'est vrai?"

The audience cheered their delight. Leveling another glare, Weiss growled again.

Thankfully, Ruby timidly piped up. "Uh … I'm not that good a singing. Really."

Annette was already peering over the selection terminal. "Trust me, mon petite. Trust me. Besides, I know something simple and happy we can all start off with. I've heard all of you sing it before, so no excuses! Just let Weiss and I lead, then join in."

Weiss glanced back at Moira who was wide-eyed and nervously wringing her gloved hands. She was clearly ready to bolt. Ruby stepped into Weiss's view, concern all over her pretty face. As Ruby hastily started to plead for Weiss to stop this insanity, lightly funk guitars played cheekily and a firm, low-toned drumset pumped the slow, steady do-whop rhythm. Weiss felt her skin crawl when she realized she did indeed know this song. One glance back at smug Annette told her X-Com's best psi-operative chose this one on purpose.

" _I'll never be – your beast of burden_!" Annette boldly sang, voice inflecting heavily.

" _My back is broad – but it's a-hurting."_

" _All I want is for you to make – love to me!"_

The audience whooped in delight and began to dance. Before she could stop it, Annette nimbly grabbed Weiss and tugged her into the microphone. Though her mind was reeling, Weiss couldn't help but join in.

" _I'll never be – your beast of burden_!" Weiss joined in. She was pleasantly surprised how well hers and Annette's voice blended.

" _I've walked for miles – my feet are hurting!"_

" _All I want is for you to make – love to me!"_

Weiss couldn't help giggle inwardly. If her father ever knew, he'd be scandalized!

" _Am I hard enough?_

 _Am I rough enough?_

 _Am I rich enough?"_

Weiss felt something warm press a little closer to her right side. With a grin, she witnessed Ruby join in. Her tinny voice wasn't all that bad.

" _I'm not too blind – to see!"_

Giddiness. That's all she could think right now. Weiss gave into the giddiness.

As they started the next verse, Moira nervously snuck forward and timidly joined in. Actually, they sounded pretty decent, even if only in unison.

" _I'll never be – your beast of burden!_

 _So let's go home – and draw the curtains!_

 _Music on the radio! Come on baby!_

… _Make sweet love to me!"_

By now, all four of them had joined in a comfortable, loud chorus. Weiss saw Annette wink at her as they all started to sway comfortably to the beat.

" _Am I hard enough?_

 _Am I rough enough?_

 _Am I rich enough?_

 _I'm not too blind – to see!"_

Somehow, they started harmonizing. Weiss found it amusing that Annette slipped into the upper soprano.

" _Oh, little sister! – Such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl!_

 _You're a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty—_

 _Pretty, pretty, such a pretty, pretty girl!_

 _Come on, baby!—Please! Please –_

 _Pleeeeease!"_

The audience easily danced. Friendly laughter and cheers abounded. Weiss felt a bright smile on her face. Annette belted out a husky soprano lead, jolting her shoulder in time to the beat.

" _I'll tell you – you can put me – out on the street!_

 _You can put me out – with no shoes on my feet!_

 _But put me out, put me out!_

 _Put me out of misery!"_

Weiss felt boldness she hadn't felt on the stage in years. She gleefully stepped forward and took the lead from Annette, winking. With a conceding grin, Annette winked back.

" _All your sickness – I can suck it up!_

 _Throw it all at me – I can shrug it off!_

 _There's one thing, baby – I can't understand_

 _You keep on tellin' me – I ain't your kind of man!"_

Laughing, Weiss felt her friends crowd around her by the microphone.

" _Ain't I rough enough?_

 _Ain't I tough enough?_

 _Ain't I rich enough – in love enough?_

 _Oh please? Oh please!"_

" _I'll never be – your beast of burden!_

 _I'll never be – your beast of burden!_

 _I'll never (never), never (never), never-never will I be!"_

Ruby caught Weiss's eyes. Ruby's silver eyes were alight with mischief and glee. She and Ruby leaned into each other to sing the next stanza. By now, all four broke out into a decent four-part harmony.

" _I'll never be – your beast of burden!_

" _I've walked for miles! My feet are hurting!_

" _All I want is for you to make – love to me!"_

Growing probably too confident, Weiss lazily pointed into the audience then teasingly beckoned with her index finger when she finished that stanza.

" _I don't need – a beast of burden!_

 _I need no fussing! I need no nursing!_

 _All I want is for you to make – love to meeeee!"_

Shaking with peels of laughter, the four women of X-Com huddled into each other, laughing with open delight while the audience below broke out in cheers.

"Encore! Encore! Chantez plus!"

Annette eased back enough to casually sweep her arms wide. "The audience as spoken, non? And besides, rules are rules! A song for each of us!"

"Ooh! I know!" Ruby cheered and nimbly zipped up to selection terminal. Weiss held back a sigh of relief when Ruby thankfully used normal speed and not her enhanced velocity. For one thing, explaining the rose petals would be difficult.

"I know it's kind of a silly song, and Weiss teased me last time she heard me play this, but I like it," she announced. Her fingers easily pranced over the control screen. With a bright nod, she hopped upright and turned back to them. "And hey. It's a good beat just to dance silly to."

Basso notes from a piano hip-hopped in time to one-second handclaps. Ruby hopped up to the microphone and sang the lead. She managed not to squeak as she brightly sang.

" _Another day, another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you. – woohoo!"_

"Oh, dust. THIS song!" Weiss failed to keep from pressing her palm to her face. Everyone in earshot laughed, and then the dancing began again.

Unshaken, Ruby continued with Annette leaning in and aiding with her sensual voice.

" _Another day, another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you – woohoo!"_

Weiss rolled her eyes heavenward, but shrugged and smiled. She let Ruby and Annette complete the first verse all to themselves.

" _I used to worry – I would wake up one day_

 _Only to find – we'd have nothing more to say._

 _Now I'm letting silence – do the talking._

 _Now I'm letting silence – ooh! do the walking._

She and Moira joined in on the easy melody. Weiss had to admit she found the song cheesy, but right here, right now, it made an excellent choice to dance and clap to.

" _Searching for – another day, another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you! Woo-hooo!_

 _Another day – another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you. Oooh-hooo!"_

Weiss let Ruby and Annette continue the joint-lead while she and Moira clapped in time. As she swayed her hips and shoulders to the simple rhythm. She had to admit it was fun letting someone else take the spotlight and share as backup.

" _I used to scream – when a whisper would do._

 _Only wanted noise – all over you._

 _Now I'm letting silence – do the talking._

 _Now I'm letting silence – do the walking."_

" _Searching for – another day, another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you! Woo-hooo!_

 _Another day – another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you. Oooh-hooo!"_

By now, even people beyond the dancefloor were joining in, singing just for the joy of it.

" _That's why I'm searching for – another day, another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you! Woo-hooo!_

 _Another day – another way for me to –_

 _Open up to you. Oooh-hooo!"_

When the simple tune faded out, Weiss found herself in front of a dancefloor brimming with guests, all smiling and eager to hear more. It wasn't like the concerts of Atlas. Everyone there was so distant and small. While the applause of Atlas was louder and more numerous, there was genuine joy that shined in the smiles as these people sweetly cheered. Weiss turned back and found her friends grinning with her.

"All right. I suppose we should give them something good," she admitted. "It's only fair, right?"

"Only fair," Annette purred. "If I may? I have a suggestion. My dear, you have such a vibrant voice. I'm sure you are familiar what this one, non?" She beckoned to Weiss and motioned to the title she selected.

Weiss paled. It wasn't that she didn't like the song. She did! But … "Uh … I don't think I'm old enough for that song. That's for women who've … you know."

"C'est parfait for you, mon chere. Trust me." She offered her hand to Weiss and winked. Weiss tingled with apprehension, but she took the offered hand. Once their hands connected, she felt her skin crawl. Scratch that, she felt her MIND crawl!

 _Shh! Do not be alarmed. It is I_ , Annette's voice pinged in her head. _I did not want to risk others seeing what they did not need to see yet, yes? With our hands together, they would not see the psionic flare. And don't worry. This won't last long. I won't pry. I have an idea, if you will follow my lead._

 _I'm … not sure about this_ , Weiss thought back.

 _Trust me_ , Annette's disembodied voice assured. _You're going to work magic_!

Annette leaned into the microphone. "Qui aime Whitney!" Weiss was shocked to hear a clear translation in her head, "Who loves Whitney!" So THIS is what it feels like!

The audience erupted in cheers. Weiss's insides squirmed. For once in her life, she chewed on her lower lip. Annette never gave her a chance. She mashed on the button. An electronic organ played with notes so soft, they were barely heard. Weiss felt Annette's gently mental nudging. She took a deep breath, tipped her head low, and stepped forward to the microphone. Keeping the same tender volume as the electric organ, she sang in an affectionate whisper.

" _Whatever you want, whatever you need._

 _Anything you want done_

 _I'll do it naturally._

' _Cause I'm every woman."_

Weiss had to fight from laughing aloud when Annette and Ruby joined in to give the echo, " _Every woman_!"

" _It's all in me_ ," she fondly sang. " _It's all In me_!" At Annette's mental cue, and quipped, " _Hey_!" and stylish snapped her fingers to the beat. The audience loved it.

Familiar pumping tempo and syncopated instruments strobed in. Annette sent her a mischievous wink. Weiss broke into a bright smile when she and Annette opened up in blended unison. Whenever they needed to break the harmony apart, with Annette's mental cue, it was seamless. Annette let Weiss take the lead every time.

" _I'm every woman, it's all in me!_

 _Anything you want done, baby – I'll do it naturally!"_

Weiss had to admit, Annette knew how to provide a show. She kept sending mental cues, thankfully nothing outrageous. Rather subtle, in fact. Their unified flow of their sways and dancesteps matched any performance Weiss had ever seen.

" _I'm every woman, it's all in me!_

 _I can read your thoughts right now –_

 _Every one from A to Z!"_

 _Har har_ , Weiss mentally shot back, grinning.

 _Oh hush up and sing, musical goddess_ , Annette mentally snickered.

In mirrored timing, both Weiss and Annette shot their hands up, Annette sending off a quick psionic flare, and Weiss daring to burst a small silver glyph above her. The audience squealed in delight at the unexpected fireworks.

 _I can cast a spell! Of secrets you can tell._

 _Mix a special brew! Put a fire inside of you._

 _Anytime you feel danger or fear –_

 _Then instantly – I will appear!_

Weiss felt the joyful mental cue. She didn't fight it at all, rhythmically sashaying in mirror to Annette.

" _Cause I'm every woman! It's all in me!_

 _Anything you want done, baby! I'll do it naturally!_

" _Whoa, whoa, whoa."_

" _In can sense your needs! Like rain unto the seeds._

 _I can make a rhyme – of confusion in your mind._

 _And when it comes back to some good old-fashioned love!_

 _I've got it, I've got it, I've got it, got it, got it!"_

Weiss grinned in utter glee. Another cue, another brief lightshow. Making magic indeed!

" _I'm every woman! It's all in me!_

 _Anything you want done, baby. I'll do it naturally."_

" _Yes, I'm every woman! It's all in me!_

 _I read your thoughts right now –_

 _Every one from A to Z."_

 _Can you reach the third C?_ Annette giggled playfully in Weiss's mind.

 _You know I can,_ Weiss gloated mentally.

" _I ain't bragging!'- 'cause I'm the one!_

 _You can just ask me! And it shall be done!_

 _And don't bother to compare! I've got it!_

 _I've got it! I've got it, got it, got it!_

' _Cause I'm the one!"_

The crowd shrieked. Their unified voices of delight felt like a warm wind breezing over her.

 _Time for the finale, my dear?_ Annette's voice rang in her head.

 _Definitely!_

" _I'm every woman! (I'm every woman!)_

 _I'm every woman! (Can you believe in me?)_

 _I'm every woman! (I'll set you free!)_

 _I'm every woman! (Just take my hand)_

 _I'm every woman! (And you'll understand)_

 _I'm every woman! (I'm all you need)_

 _I'm every woman! (I'm more than a dream)_

 _I'm every woman!"_

The audience screamed in delight. This was like those pop concerts; ones Weiss had only seen in recordings. Now she was centerstage, basking in the adoration. She and Annette held their finale pose, grinning at each other as Ruby squealed and hugged Weiss from behind.

"You're a goddess!" she squealed. "I swear!"

Weiss could only smile, finding herself loosely draped in Moira's embrace that joined in with Ruby's.

The crowds kept cheering. "C'etait trois! Un autre!"

In her head, Weiss heard, "That was three! Another one!" It was amazing, Weiss decided. She could immediately know every word said, translated effortlessly. She could even sense many of the desires, including the more … amorous ones.

Weiss found she rather … liked having the extra nudging in her head. She didn't want Annette's presence to stay mind you, but the possibilities! She caught her breath. "I don't need to be psionic to know what they said. Any suggestions?"

"Of course," Annette purred. "You know I do." She nodded sidelong to Ruby. "I just so happen to know there's one song she has been _dying_ to hear you sing. Would you be so kind?"

Ruby blushed furiously. "Oh God. Really! You don't have to."

Weiss cracked a grin. She felt her eyes twinkle. She was tempted to tease Ruby, but the high rushing through her now was too good to let go. Besides, the rapturous thrill from Annette nearly took her breathe away.

"Give it to me," she gleefully ordered.

Ruby's face glowed crimson, but Weiss couldn't resist. Once Annette tapped the selection, she turned back with another sly grin.

 _You won't need my help much for long with this one,_ she told Weiss through that bizarre mental link. _But follow my lead on the beginning. You'll love the results, love. Just wait and see._

Weiss shivered with glee as a strangely familiar heavy beat and stiff rimshot pumped heavily without instruments. Annette's voice purred in her mind.

 _Now._

Weiss tipped the microphone to her lips and whispered sensuously, "I don't know why I like it. I just do."

The crowds and Ruby screamed. The music leapt into relentless, driving electric guitars. Oh, her father would HATE this!

" _I keep hearing your heartbeat inside of me._

 _I keep your photograph beside my bed._

 _Living in a world of fantasies,_

 _I can't get you out of my head."_

Once she started, the lyrics were easy. The timing instinctive.

" _I've been waiting for the phone to ring all night._

 _Why do you want to make me – feel so good?_

 _I've got to live on my own, baby._

 _I shouldn't get so hung up on you."_

" _I remember the way that we touch, I wish I – didn't like it so much!"_

Weiss's heart hammered. She sensed Annette joining in flawlessly to counter-synch her lead. The sensation was intoxicating. Together, they belted out the chorus.

" _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _Every time I think of you._

 _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _And it's shocking what – love can do!"_

" _And it's shocking what love can do."_

 _All yours, my sweet._

Weiss tipped her chin up, grinning. She had the audience where she wanted them.

" _I've got to watch you walk in room, baby._

 _I've got to watch you walk out, mmhmm._

 _I like the animal way you move!_

 _And when you talk, I just watch your mouth!"_

Oh, father would be FUMING! Weiss's hearted pounded with elation.

" _I remember the way that we touch, I wish I – didn't like it so much! Ooo!"_

Annette joined in, unifying with Weiss.

" _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _Every time I think of you._

 _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _And it's shocking what – love can do!"_

" _And it's shocking what love can do._

 _And it's shocking what love can do!"_

Weiss basked in the adoring screams and the powerful electric music that flowed until the finale.

" _See, I remember the way that we touch, I wish I – didn't like it so much!"_

" _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _Every time I think of you._

 _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _And it's shocking what – love can do!"_

" _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _Every time I think of you._

 _I get so emotional, baby!_

 _And it's shocking what – love can do!"_

" _I get so emotional!"_

Weiss couldn't quite remember when she and Annette slammed down the finale beat. All she knew was that the roar of the crowd was so fierce she almost heard nothing at all. Smiling, she wrapped up Annette, then Ruby, and then finally Moira into a hug. With a pang of regret, she felt Annette's presence retreat from her mind. _No._

 _Shh. Let it go, my sweet friend. It's good to know how receptive you are,_ Annette's fading voice told her. _We can try this again later. But trust me. Sense my thoughts. You'll know. It's risky to try so much the first time around. Just thank you, Weiss. Thank you._

You're welcome, Annette. Weiss hoped Annette somehow sensed that thought, though really it wasn't needed. Weiss snuggled up the joy she felt on the stage, then regretfully started to step down. Their set was complete, after all.

The crowds would have none of that.

"ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!"

"Oh, Dust, you've got to be KIDDING me!" Weiss groaned, belting out a laugh.

The four of them grinned at each other, baffled, but unable to leave the fervent crowds.

"One more! PLEASE! One more!"

Weiss heaved a huge long-suffering sigh. "Fine! One more!" She rolled her eyes as the audience went jubilant.

Moira tapped her shoulder. "Weiss, I'm sorry, but … as much as I enjoyed this, I don't think I have the energy to stand up much longer."

Weiss nodded. Instead of being concerned, she turned to the audience. "May I ask a favor? My friend needs to rest. Will it be sufficient if I stay and let her step down?"

The scream of delight said it all.

"I suppose you have your answer," Annette drawled. "It's all yours. Enjoy!"

Weiss snorted. "You're leaving me here alone? Traitor!" she grinned. The audience howled in laughter at their comedy.

"All right! One more," she called out to the audience while Moira, Ruby, and Annette stepped down off the stage. "Allow me a minute to find the right one."

Which one, which one, she thought. The selection was more impressive than she realized. How DID they pay for all of these?

She knew she was taking longer than she wanted. The crowd started to whisper, but it was hard to choose. Something that showed off her voice, she knew. Something that mattered.

Her heart skipped.

That one.

Yes, that one.

Smiling softly, Weiss stepped back to the microphone.

"This song is … a bit older," she addressed the audience who was waiting on her every word. Even the wait staff were watching.

"I was introduced to this song by my friend, Moira. Since then, it's become a favorite."

Moira blushed.

"I'd like to have three dedications to this. I think all of you will understand. First, I'd like to dedicate this to every first responder our world has ever had. Especially in this past year, so many brave people have stepped forward, risking all to be the healers and protectors when we needed them most."

Weiss's heart tugged with joy when she spotted the myriad appreciative nods to her first dedication.

"Second, I would like to dedicate this to all of us." She gracefully spread her arms wide. "We all know what happened these past two years. While we still struggle to speak of it, we faced what's probably the greatest threat our world and our people have ever faced. Instead of breaking apart, we stood together. We still have our faults, and plenty of them. However, I think it's right to say we've proven we can rise above our short-comings and be better than we've ever allowed ourselves to be. So I want to thank all of you. Truly."

Weiss blushed when the gathered crowd chuckled and shared winks, but gave a gracious nod. Summoning up her courage, she turned her gaze to her friends standing at the front of the crowd.

"And finally, I'd like to dedicate this to my best friend, Ruby." Her throat tightened. "She's been an encouragement to me, now more than ever. When we first met, I wasn't a good friend. At all. I didn't think much of her. I wanted her gone. All she wanted to do was be my friend. That was years ago, and … we've both grown. I don't think we could have survived this last year without each other. I'm proud to say I know her. Even prouder that she lets me call her my best friend. This past year has been hard on her. I know she has doubts. About herself. About how I think of her. Ruby? If you ever wonder what I think of you, I hope this answers any questions."

Weiss blinked repeatedly to clear out the moisture in her eyes, then tapped the console. The crowd hushed as soft, delicate notes tenderly weaved a slow, steady march.

She sang.

" _There's a hero, if you look inside your heart._

 _You don't have to be afraid – of what you are._

 _There's an answer – if you reach into your soul._

 _And the sorrow that you knew – will melt away."_

The audience grew silent, reverent.

" _And a hero comes along_

 _With the strength to carry on_

 _And you cast your fears aside_

 _And you know you can survive._

 _So when you feel like hope has gone_

 _Look inside you and be strong._

 _And you'll finally see the truth_

 _That a hero lies in you."_

Ruby barely blinked. Her staring eyes shimmered like never before.

" _It's a long road_

 _When you face the world alone_

 _No one reaches out a hand_

 _For you to hold_

 _You can find love_

 _If you search within yourself_

 _And the emptiness you felt_

 _Will disappear!"_

Weiss cleared her mind and steadied her heart. She let the lyrics and the melody flow.

" _And then a hero comes along_

 _With the strength to carry on._

 _And you cast your fears aside,_

 _And you know you can survive._

 _So when you feel like hope is gone,_

 _Look inside you and be strong._

 _And you'll finally see the truth_

 _That a hero lies in you."_

" _Lord knows! - Dreams are hard to follow!_

 _But don't let anyone – Tear them away!_

 _Hold on! – There will be tomorrow!_

 _And in time – you'll find the way!"_

Cheers peeped up here and there. Weiss didn't need to be an empath to feel the audience wrestling between expressing their delight and hoping to savor every last note. She was fighting tears herself when she came to the finale descant.

" _And then a hero comes along_

 _With the strength to carry on._

 _And you cast all fears aide,_

 _And you know you will survive!_

 _So when you feel all hope is gone,_

 _Rise up and be strong._

 _And finally see the truth,_

 _That a hero lies in you._

… _That a hero lies in you."_

The audience held their breath. Weiss dared to catch Ruby's eyes again. They were brimming with unshed tears of gratitude.

" _Yes, a hero lies in you."_

Weiss struggled to keep her own composure as Ruby squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook. Tears dripped freely. Moira hugged her and Annette slipped an arm around her waist. Weiss wasn't sure if the audience had burst out in cheers. They probably had. Her eyes were on Ruby. With Ruby finally gazing back up, those silver eyes sparkled brightly. Weiss parted her lips a few times, trying to think of what to say next.

"OH MY GOD! GET A ROOM, YOU TWO!"

The sound of a dense smartass being smacked over the head reverberated nicely.

"OW!"

"BRUTE!" Annette spat, then smacked him again.

The moment wasn't ruined, certainly not for Weiss. However, she realized this was a grand opportunity to slip off the stage before anyone else noticed. With the patrons glaring at – well, whoever the man was! - Weiss swiftly gathered Ruby and Moira by their elbows. With a lopsided smile, she said to Annette, "You were right. I certainly enjoyed this! But I say this is a fine time to make our getaway."

Annette smirked. "Well said. Allons-y!"

While security hustled the man out, much to the satisfaction of the other patrons, Weiss, Annette, Ruby, and Moira paid their bill and swiftly retreated from Le Maison Chic. … not before snatching up a dozen beignets, and vowing to return, of course.

* * *

Three hours later, Paris would find the glamourous quartet playfully dancing and laughing on one of the posh rooftops. Though late November, the temperature had yet to drop below a pleasant cool breeze.

"I can't believe you did that!"

"Well, you said you wanted chocolate sauce," Ruby giggled. "It was the only chocolate sauce I could find within half a mile! And besides – they didn't see me, and instead had a romantic shower of rose petals. With the way she was kissing him afterwards, they didn't seem to mind!"

"Ah! Criminals!" Moira laughed. "I'm surrounded by criminals!"

Weiss snuggled Moira into a hug. "You love us anyway."

"Of course I do."

They whooped and hollered again, slowly coming down from the high of the delightful insanity of that night. When they finally caught their collective breath, Ruby leaned on the banister and smiled down on the city of lights.

"Paris," she breathed in admiration. "They're right. There's nothing like it. She's beautiful."

"Ze most beautiful," Weiss quoted merrily with Moira. They snuggled into another hug.

"Enjoy, my friends," Annette said graciously. "I can think of no better way I could shown you my beloved homeland. You carry its spirit well."

"Ugh! I wish this wouldn't end!" Ruby whined. "This is the best night of my life! I mean, I love sis and Blake and all, but really! I can't think of how this night could've been better, and now it's going to end!"

"We can stay up a bit longer, you dunce," Weiss drawled.

"Yeah, but we have to sleep sometime!" Ruby grinned. "Ugh. Sometimes it sucks to be a human."

"For the record, there's no one else I'd rather have shared tonight with, "Annette said. She kissed her two fingers and lifted them into the night sky. "Scout's honor."

"Strange to say, but … the same with me, too," Weiss admitted.

"Me, too," Moira breathed, snuggling Weiss one more time. "Thank you. All of you."

They quickly slipped together for a group hug, taking in the closeness and now the quietness of the late night.

"Weeeeell," Weiss drawled. "It's not a time glyph or anything like that, but we CAN find a way to make tonight last longer." Without waiting for much of a response, she pulled out her scroll.

"You said no phones or comm devices for tonight!" Moira teased.

"I said no phones or comm devices for YOU!"

"Bah! Ever the practical one! Come! Let's not waste this opportunity, shall we?"

"Yes, please!" Ruby agreed.

They gathered at the edge of the banister and turned to have Paris behind them. Weiss stood in the center, with her left arm around Ruby and her right arm holding out the elevation rod for the scroll. Moira snuggled close from Weiss' right, and Annette nestled closer to Ruby's left.

"I've set up a new memory card, so let's go ahead and take a few dozen. Thank you again, Moira, for attaching a nice elerium guidance system," Weiss told them. "Shall we?"

"Let's!"

Ten minutes later, they were all gathered around Weiss, grinning like teenagers as they viewed the hundred or so image-captures. From silly to sweet, there were endless choices. Sometimes it was hard to figure out when they were laughing and when they were cooing with delight.

Finally…

Moira gasped.

"Whoa," Ruby breathed.

"Oooh!" Annette approved.

Nestled in the center of the picture, the four of them squeezed in tenderly, their grins shown like the closest of sisters. They took half the image, so breadth of nighttime Paris spread out behind them, glimmering in the million lights Paris was famous for. Weiss was holding out her right hand. Somehow, she had timed the image just right. Instead of her hand just reaching out in an obvious method to hold up the camera, instead her palm curled gently up, inviting whoever saw the image to come join the four of them.

"It's beautiful," Annette whispered.

"It's perfect," Ruby murmured in awe.

"It is," Weiss agreed with all her soul. The four souls from X-Com captured so tenderly in an image that Weiss could keep for years to come. She slowly brushed her hand over the top of the scroll, creating this fondest of memories.


	12. Hunting Season

(A/N): Hey everyone, Joey245 here! This is my second TFTA chapter, the first of which being that one with the swimming pool a few months back. Decided to try my hand at something a little different this time, that being a sort of "side mission" that takes place shortly after finding the Reapers in Mountain Glenn, but before the Kuo Kuana defense. I absolutely LOVED how Amish introduced the Reapers and Vipers in the main story, and really wanted to explore those shadowy hunters a little more.

Note that this chapter takes a few...liberties with the gear used by the Reapers in RU. Amish has stated that he doesn't want his Reapers being a 1:1 conversion of their WOTC counterparts. So don't take everything that happens here in this chapter as 100% canon, unless the good Doctor says otherwise of course.

Also, there's some mild violence against animals in this one, so you know...reader discretion, and all that good stuff.

* * *

 **Title:** Hunting Season

 **Author:** Joey245

"So...what are we doing out here again?"

Ruby sighed as she triple-checked Crescent Rose. Of course the excitable, energetic Nora would have gotten distracted during the briefing. Then again, considering that they were on a Bullhead with some of XCOM's newest (and by far strangest) arrivals, Ruby didn't exactly blame her. It was pretty hard to listen to Bradford when there were a dozen figures in dark cloaks and hoods sitting in absolute silence, and harder still when they were joined by a half-dozen enormous snakes with arms and armor.

Velvet looked skittish, as if she would rather be anywhere else in Remnant right now. Fox had his hand over hers, doing his best to calm the young faunus in the absence of her partner. And Arslan was watching the new allies with a suspicious eye, watching them as though she were waiting for the shadowy figures to turn against them.

Lie Ren seemed to be the only other passenger paying attention to the conversation. "The Reapers and Vipers are going hunting for food," he told his partner calmly. "We're just going with to keep an eye out for Grimm."

Nora nodded slowly, though her eyes still had a lot of questions. "Okay...but why are going into the woods of Anima? Is there something wrong with the food in the Avenger?" She looked uncharacteristically glum for a moment. "I even made sure to save some pancakes for them…"

Ruby smiled a bit at Nora's display of affection, odd as it was. Elena seemed to notice as well, as she took off her mask to reveal a head full of short black hair and steel-colored eyes.

"Your generosity has not gone unnoticed," said the elder Reaper, "but my kind has lived off the flesh of wild beasts for decades. As nice as the food aboard your ship is, our Viper sisters have grown...fond of the taste of wild game."

"Makes sense," said Fox, "I doubt most of Vale's chain restaurants make many deliveries to Mountain Glenn these days."

" _We will try to hunt as much as we can during our excursion here_ ," said one of the other Reapers, a young woman named Marion, " _and whatever we do not eat here, we will stockpile aboard the Avenger's storeroom. We will store them in your...oh, what's that word for the device that freezes food for storage?_ "

Velvet raised an eyebrow. "A freezer?"

" _Yes, that. We will keep the rest of it in your freezers._ "

Ruby had to smile again. Even though the Captain didn't come with them, she could imagine what Beagle would say in this scenario. "You lived aboard an alien ship for decades and you didn't have a _freezer?_ Next you'll be telling us you didn't have indoor plumbing and video games."

"Approaching the drop-off point now," crackled Firebrand over the PA, "Feel free to try the new rappelling cables if you want."

The doors to the Bullhead opened, and the Mistral wilderness awaited them. The sound of birds chirping and the smells of a thousand different plants and animals filled the air, which briefly overwhelmed the Huntsmen and Huntresses not used to it. The Reapers and Vipers were not inhibited, however. They leapt out the doors and fired their ripjacks, sending steely cables outward that carried them into the shadows.

"We'll be sure to give them a test run," said Ruby as she shook her head to clear her senses. "See you in three days, Firebrand."

"Affirmative. Good hunting out there, Captain."

* * *

An hour and a half after being dropped off, the hunters had set up a base camp in a nearby clearing. Four large tents were set up around a fire pit, which itself was as wide as Crescent Rose was long. A dozen benches encircled it, giving everyone with legs a place to sit next to the eventual fire. The Reapers and Vipers carried enough parts in their bag to set up collapsible tanning racks, roasting spits, watchtowers, and dust-fueled generators, which they assembled quickly and efficiently with a little guidance from Ruby and Velvet.

Once everything was set up, the Huntsmen sat down for a moment to rest after a morning of hard work. The Reapers and Vipers had gone off to do some preliminary scouting, both to look for locations of prey as well as to mark Grimm territory. Technically, the entire area was far enough away from a village or city to be dangerous, but as long as they stayed clear of any nests or avoided any hordes, the expedition should be relatively safe.

"It's quite...louder than I thought it would be," said Velvet as she massaged her rabbit ears timidly.

Fox nodded. "Well, at least I won't have a problem finding anything around here. With this much noise, I should be able to pick up every single detail going on. Especially if it rains."

"How so?" Ruby asked as she munched on a chocolate chip granola bar she had packed.

Fox grinned. "That's my semblance. Every time I hear a sound, it makes a wave and lights up my surroundings when it bounces off something solid. The louder things get, the better I'm able to see...and there's no shortage of noises in a fight."

"Oh, so you're like Daredevil!"

"...who?"

"Never mind."

"No, now you've got me curious," said Fox with a grin. "You're gonna have to explain that one to me Captain."

"He's a superhero from Earth," explained Ren, "Matt Murdock was a blind lawyer by day, vigilante protector by night. He's blind, but he could 'see' a lot like you can."

"They made a movie about him!" Nora added cheerfully. "It's in the Avenger library! Although Mac doesn't like it very much...said something about Ben Affleck being a bad actor?..."

Fox chuckled. "Daredevil, huh?...I like the sound of that. I'll definitely check that movie out when we get back."

" _If_ we get back."

Everyone turned to look at Arslan, who was glaring into the fire pit seemingly trying to ignite it with her gaze alone.

"Pffft, of _course_ we'll be going back!" Nora waved her hand nonchalantly. "There's no such thing as a Grimm too dangerous for us to handle!"

"I don't think it's the Grimm she's worried about," said Ren pointedly.

Arslan sighed. "Gods, you sound like Bolin sometimes. But yes, I'm not talking about the Grimm. I'm talking about the _other_ soulless monsters in these forests. You know, the ones that we decided to let into the Avenger?"

Velvet's eyes went wide with shock. "How can you say that? The Reapers are our allies, our friends!"

"Are they really?" Arslan countered, "We meet them, what, a week ago? And suddenly they're walking around the ship like they own the place? How do we know we can trust them?"

"Bradford trusts them," Ruby said firmly, "and that's reason enough for me to trust them."

"But what if he-"

" _Operative Altan._ " Ruby's voice became firmer. "Finish that sentence, and I will _personally_ deliver you back to the Avenger for a nice long talk with Central. That man kept me and my team alive when we were stuck on earth for eight months, and I will not have you questioning his judgement when he's not here to speak for himself. If you don't trust the Reapers and Vipers, that's _your_ decision. But leave Bradford out of this, or it will no longer be just _your_ problem."

There was a tense silence, which was broken only by Nora letting out a low whistle. "Awkward…" she muttered to no one in particular.

Arslan's glare was formidable, but even she seemed to wither under the silvery stare of Ruby Rose. She crossed her arms and returned to trying to start a fire with her mind, sensing she wouldn't be winning this particular argument.

" _We have finished our preliminary scouting._ "

Four Huntresses and two Huntsmen visibly flinched at the sudden appearance of Elena's voice. The Reaper took off her mask, looking at the children gathered around the nonexistent pyre.

"There are three prominent gathering grounds for wild game in this area," she reported coolly, "one to the north, one to the southwest, and another directly east. Divide yourselves into three teams of two - each pair will accompany four Reapers and two Vipers. Once the sun goes down, return to camp with whatever you've found."

Ruby looked to the less-experienced REMCOM Huntsmen. "You guys remember the standard Grimm engagement protocol, right?"

Fox nodded. "Take stragglers out quickly and quietly, prioritize melee and quiet ranged attacks over guns and dust. Larger groups, flag them and steer clear of them, counting their numbers as best you can."

"Very good." Elena put her mask back on as she slipped back into the shadows. " _We depart in fifteen minutes. Be ready to move._ "

Ruby looked at Arslan, who in the space of a few minutes went from angry and stubborn to shocked and stiff. She didn't need her psionic ability to figure out what the young Mistrali Huntress was thinking.

 _How long were they listening to us talk?_

She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

* * *

After a fifteen-minute hike, Ruby and Velvet crouched low in the bushes, Boltcasters at the ready and watching the pack of deer ahead of them. Elena was adjusting the lenses on her mask, while Marion lay down in the undergrowth with her own boltcaster. Under the cover of darkness, the other two Reapers made their way up into the trees on the far side of a small clearing, while a Viper slithered to the left and right.

Ruby quickly learned that the Reapers weren't all that interested in the "normal" deer that populated Remnant. Instead, they hunted an unusual species that could only be found deep into Grimm territory. These creatures had coats of jet-black fur and white spots, to the point that they almost resembled creatures of Grimm. But unlike the feral enemy of humanity, these creatures were docile and peaceful, and content to leave other creatures well enough alone. The fact that even the does were as tall and muscular as the bucks and looked like they could kick a man to death certainly helped send that message to whatever wanted to pick a fight with them.

There were seven does in the herd, either laying in the grass, nibbling on berry bushes, or nuzzling a fawn that walked on unsteady, shaky legs. They were accompanied by four strong-looking bucks with long antlers; one lay down next to one of the grounded does, one drank calmly from a stream, one was prancing with his fawn, and the last one was grazing on the grass.

"They seem so peaceful," noted Velvet, "like they're not afraid of anything."

" _The Grimm only attack humans,_ " whispered Elena, " _and big game hunters do not typically stray this far from the villages of Anima. So these creatures believe they have no reason to be on guard...which makes them easy prey."_

Velvet cast a nervous glance towards Ruby, summing up all her concerns with one worried gaze. Ruby shrugged, then watched as Elena pulled out what could only be described as a pair of black bricks. She put them together end-to-end, and started fiddling with it. With just a few simple movements the odd device expanded and unfolded into a strange hybrid between a Boltcaster and a rifle, complete with a scope, silencer, stock, and an empty slot on top for a clip of small metal bolts to be loaded.

"Let me know if you need any help with that," whispered Ruby, "Lily and I tried to keep the design as close to the Boltcasters as possible, but it might be a little -"

" _I know how to use a gun, Captain,_ " said Elena as she slid back the bolt and pressed the stock to her shoulder, " _It's not the complexity of the weapon that keeps Reapers from using them, it's their scarcity and the amount of attention they bring. If this weapon is as quiet as you say it is, then perhaps that might change."_

Ruby nodded in understanding. "Okay. Is there anything else you want us to do?"

" _Observing, captain,"_ replied Elena, " _that is your task. The Reapers have done this hundreds of times. If you wish to know our way, study closely."_

A haze of gray smoke suddenly overtook the Reapers, making them seemingly blend into the darkness of the woods. Ruby knew that Marion was still laying flat between her and Velvet, but every attempt to look at her revealed nothing. And then a chorus of whispers came in so quietly that even with Velvet's faunus ears and Ruby's enhanced psionic senses, they could still barely hear the words being carried through the shadows.

" _This is Elena Dragunov. Sound off."_

" _Marion Mendez, in position."_

" _George Hamilton, ready."_

" _Nikola Ryker, ready."_

A pair of discreet, quiet hisses sounded off.

" _Vessira, Tyssic, whenever you are ready."_

There was a moment of utter silence, before the Reapers and Vipers sprung into a flurry of action. A pair of long tongues flew out like a whip, snagging onto the bucks and pulling them into the bushes. Ruby's eyes tracked one of the bucks as it was yanked away from its fawn and pulled into a crushing hug, as the Viper coiled around its body and snapped its neck in one swift motion. Before the grazing buck could even cry out, another muffled snap came from across the hunting ground, signaling its death.

Two shots from a silenced rifle bored into the skulls of the buck and doe that lay in the grass, making them fall over into each other. A sharpened metal spike from the boltcaster drove itself through the neck of the last buck, its groan dying in its throat as its blood trickled down the stream it was drinking from. Before the remaining six does could even raise their tails in alert, Hamilton and Ryker tossed down bolos from their elevated position, binding the does (along with the newborn fawn) in tight cables. The last remaining fawn bleated out in terror, making a mad dash for the treeline...only for the nearest Viper to lash out with her tongue again, grabbing the young deer and pulling it back into her waiting jaws to swallow it whole.

The Reapers made short work of the rest of the does. Elena fired twice more with her custom rifle, halting the struggle and suffering of a third of the group. Hamilton and Ryker fired their boltcasters, pinning another two does to the forest ground through their hearts. And while Marion sprinted over to the doe and fawn that remained bound, the Viper slithered over to the last one, sinking her fangs into the beast and releasing a toxin that killed it within an instant.

All in all, it took about six seconds.

Ruby, who had seen enormous insects emerge from a mutilated whale corpse and watched a friend of hers be pinned by an overgrown termite, was barely even fazed by the Reaper's brutal efficiency. The same, unfortunately, could not be said of Velvet. The young rabbit Faunus's face rapidly shifted through cycles of shock, horror, pity, and disgust. By the time young little Marion had driven her ripjack through the chin of the doe bound to its fawn, she closed her eyes and promptly began discharging the contents of her breakfast into the nearby bush, as well as the last few meals just for good measure.

"Velvet?" asked Ruby with concern, reaching out a hand to her teary-eyed, coughing friend. Velvet gave out one more dry-heave before she composed herself, staring hard at Marion as she rested both her hands against the struggling fawn's snout.

" _Get away from that one!_ " cried out Velvet, as she leapt out from her hiding spot. Four Reapers and two Vipers snapped their beady-eyes on the rabbit-eared Huntress as she sprinted across the field.

"Velvet!"

" _Child, you must -_ "

"If you hurt it, I'll hurt you!" An alloy cannon digistructed into her hands.

" _Velvet!_ "

" _This is hunting, Miss Scarlatina,"_ said one of the male Reapers as he jumped down from the trees and removed his mask, his cloak of shadows dissipating as he stepped into the sunlight. "What, did you think that these deer would just let us strip them of their meat and skin out of the goodness of their heart?"

"That one's just a _baby!_ You can't -!"

" _And we won't."_

Velvet calmed down, just for a moment, as she watched Marion remove her mask, revealing a head full of brownish hair and pale skin. Her bright blue eyes locked with the Faunus, and her gaze seemed to combine youthful optimism and energy with cold detachment and ruthlessness.

"You are right. This one was just born a few weeks ago. She has only recently begun to taste more than just the milk of her mother, and has nothing to offer us right now. It is not our right to silence her life when it has just begun."

"But what about the other fawn?" spat Velvet, "Didn't that one deserve to live as well?"

"That one was a male," explained Marion, "and was on the threshold of adulthood. As such, it would have run off and warned the others, making our future hunts in the area that much more difficult. And besides, the Vipers are always given first choice of the hunt, for they hunger faster than we do...and we could not do this without them."

Ruby glanced over at the other Viper, who was using her fangs and claws to rip huge chunks of raw flesh from her prize, tearing off the pieces before tilting her head back and greedily snapping them up in one bite. She let out a gulp, thanking the gods that the Vipers prefered deer and wild game. If the same fate awaited the White Fang thugs who had stumbled across their Mountain Glenn hideout…

The young fawn let out a loud bleat in desperation, prompting Marion to turn her gaze back to the trapped creature. She used one hand to stroke the baby doe behind its ear, using the ripjack mounted to her other arm to cut the bolos binding it. Within seconds, the fawn closed its eyes and let out its breath, letting the Reaper cradle its head as she gently laid it down in the grass. It would have been a heartwarming picture...if the ripjack that freed the fawn wasn't still stained with the blood of its mother.

"She is asleep now," cooed Marion, "The next time she awakens, she will be alone, but alive. Her instincts will guide her to find food, shelter, and a new family. Perhaps she may even have fawns of her own one day. But her life is hers to live now."

" _Then we should hurry and gather the carcasses,"_ said Elena firmly. She looked at Velvet pointedly beneath her mask. " _And in the future, try to keep better control over your emotions. Otherwise, the Grimm will surely come for us."_

Velvet's ears twitched, but she nevertheless allowed the hard light weapon to disappear. She set about snapping a few pictures of the weapons the Reapers used, so that she could summon them at will.

Ruby, meanwhile, had her eyes on the fawn that now lay alone in the grass as the Reapers and Vipers gathered up the carcasses.

"I'm sorry," she whispered quietly, before following the rest of her group.

* * *

The rest of the hunt was uneventful, and soon Ruby and Velvet found themselves back at the camp as night fell over the woods. A roaring bonfire was blazing in the fire pit, and a company of Huntsmen, Huntresses, Reapers and Vipers were sitting around the fire, enjoying the warmth in the cold darkness. Above the flames on roasting spits hung several fresh, juicy venison cuts, while in the dark several other Reapers were gutting and cleaning the carcasses of wild game. More Reapers were prepping other choice cuts of meat for cold storage, while the Vipers were skinning the pelts and mounting select bits of skin on the tanning racks.

Ruby's stomach growled as she watched the steaks being cooked, looking for ways to pass the time. Nora, who Ruby would wager had enough room in her stomach to eat four of the steaks, chose to tell some stories of their adventures for the day.

"...and then I grabbed a wild turkey and threw it as far as I could! Then *thwip!* Rossal snatched it right out of the air and swallowed it in one huge gulp! Then her snout twitched, and pretty soon she sneezed out a feather!"

Fox laughed uproariously as Nora recounted the events of their hunt. "Yeah, and then Dussan snatched another one right out of a bush and caught it in her hands. But she didn't eat it right away, she just gave it to you and hissed!"

"She wanted to do that too! So I punted this one with Magnhild, and whaddaya know? I invented a new game! But the best part was when Rossal's tongue snagged a beehive instead of the turkey...the look on her face was priceless!"

Marion broke into a fit of giggles, while another Reaper doubled over in soundless, raucous laughter. Ruby allowed herself a small chuckle, and even Lie Ran smiled a bit. One of the Vipers, the one sitting next to Nora, let out a dissatisfied hiss.

"Aw, come on Rosie!" Nora leaned over to the Viper, "it was funny! And it didn't really hurt you, so it's all good! We're just teasing you because we love you guys!" She poked the Viper's snout with the tip of her finger. "Boop!"

The Viper reeled back, twitching the end of her snout in bewilderment. For a moment, none of the Hunters moved.

"...Nora, did you really just do what I think you did?" Ruby asked warily.

"I did!" said the thunderous teenager, "I booped the snoot!"

Ruby sighed. "Goddammit, Mac…"

The tension in the moment soon disappeared, however, when Rossal rubbed her scaly forehead against Nora's outstretched hand, giving a sort of affectionate hiss.

"Aw, she likes me!" Nora beamed. "You're such a good danger noodle, aren't you? Aren't you?"

"Seriously?" Ruby asked with a raised eyebrow. "They _enjoy_ that?"

"That's actually a good way to show affection for our Viper sisters," said Marion with a small giggle, "Other good displays are scrubbing the scales, letting them coil up around you, or brushing their fangs."

Velvet gulped nervously. "Their...fangs? Isn't that dangerous? What with their venom and all?"

"Only if you don't know what you're doing," said another Reaper with a grin.

"You seem pretty close to the Vipers," said Ruby to one of the Reapers sitting with them. "How can you understand them? How do you tell them apart?"

"Communication was...difficult, at first," said Nieve, smiling with her green eyes. "They communicate with each other primarily through pheromones that only they can sense, so it was hard to understand each other. Fortunately, the Archon was instrumental in creating a sort of 'bridge' language that the Vipers could easily adapt, and this combined with subtle body movements allows them to carry on entire conversations with us, if they wished. As for how to tell them apart, there's the obvious indications of things such as scars and behaviors, but the scale pattern of each Viper is subtly different from one another. Take a look for yourself next time - some of the designs can be quite intricate, and would certainly aid in recognizing one from another."

Ruby hummed thoughtfully, focusing her vision on the Viper that was now having the underside of her lower jaw scratched by Nora. Now that she looked closely, this one was definitely younger and a little bit smaller than the other Vipers, with scales that seemed to glimmer in the light of the fire. Each individual scale seemed to be made of a hexagon cut into dozens of triangular pieces, some of them colored a dark brown while others appeared to be a pale gold color. She looked at each of the Vipers sitting with them, making a mental note of the patterns on each one. "Rossal" had what seemed to be an hourglass figure colored into the pattern, while another one had what could only be described as a radiation symbol. The last one had what seemed like an arrowhead on each scale...as well as a scar on her left eye that Ruby instantly recognized.

"You were with us on our hunt today!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"She was. That's Vessira," said Marion with a nod, "She's one of the oldest Vipers, older than some of us Reapers even. She might be getting a little long in fang, but she's just as fast and strong as she was the day she came out of her egg."

Vessira's eyes twinkled, giving Ruby the distinct impression that she might be smiling.

"Steaks are ready," announced Nieve. "Who wants which one?"

"I'll take the biggest four you have!"

"Nora…"

" _Fiiiine,_ Ren. I'll settle for the second-biggest four."

Ruby chuckled, before glancing up into the trees and catching the eyes of the only Huntress who didn't join them. Taking a metal plate with a big steak on it, Ruby climbed somewhat clumsily up the tree that Arslan had claimed, sitting on a branch next to the leader of Team ABRN.

"Brought you something. Is medium-rare okay for you?"

"I'm not hungry," mumbled Arslan.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Cause this is getting eaten one way or another."

"If you really trust them enough, then fine. Dig in."

With a sigh, the silver-eyed Huntress cut into the venison steak, popping a piece of it into her mouth and savoring the flavor and texture. "Mmm...this is really good. Sure you don't want any?" She held out a piece on a fork, waving it tantalizingly in front of the stubborn Mistrali teenager.

"...you're not gonna leave me alone until I try it, are you."

"Nope!"

Arslan sighed, opening her mouth and letting Ruby pop the piece of deer meat in. After chewing thoughtfully, she swallowed, a pale shadow of a smile on her face.

"Hmm...acceptable. Could use some cinnamon and wild mountain berry, though. Really brings out the flavor. Still, this is fine, I guess. Doesn't hold a candle to the kind of stuff my dads used to make."

"Really?" asked Ruby, then she blinked. "Oh, right, you're from Mistral, aren't you? What's your family like? Did you live around here?"

A small chuckle. "Kinda. I grew up in a monastery just south of Argus, raised by the monks there that lived in the mountains. According to them, someone had just abandoned a baby on a cold winter night, and when one of them took pity on me and brought me in, they decided to let me stay. I was put to work as soon as I was able to walk, though - I had to earn my place there, prove that I wasn't just another mouth to feed."

"Seriously?"

"Well, that's what they told me, after all," said Arslan with a hint of a smile, "but when I was older they basically told me that they just wanted someone else doing all the chores for a change. And I don't blame them. I mean, can you imagine how many pairs of linens a bunch of sweaty old guys go through in a week? It's not pretty, I'll tell you that."

Ruby chuckled. "Yeah? Well, I'll see your 'monastery full of sweaty old guys' and raise you one 'military base full of about a hundred soldiers.'"

"Oh, gods!" Arslan nearly choked. "It must have smelled awful!"

"It was! It was the worst!"

The two team leaders shared a good, hearty laugh at the shared experience and trauma that was laundry day. Eventually, their laughter died down, and Arslan's frown returned.

"Leaving the monastery to go to Haven Academy was the hardest choice I ever had to make," she said quietly, "I didn't want to leave them, I wanted to stay with them forever. But they knew that I had the drive to become a Huntress, and they had already taught me everything they knew about martial arts, Aura, Grimm, and Remnant. It was time for me to take my training to the next step."

Ruby nodded, understanding that pain well. "Well, for what it's worth...I'm glad that you and your team decided to come with us. I think you're going to fit in quite well here." She reached out and put a hand on Arslan's bare shoulder.

Arslan stared at the hand, before glaring back at the Reapers gathered around below them.

"You're going to need all the Huntsman you can get, especially with those _things_ around."

"Arslan…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Keep my mouth shut, or else Bradford is gonna give me the boot."

Ruby frowned. "I didn't mean it like -"

"Good night, Ruby. See you in the morning."

With a yank on her rope dart, Arslan disappeared higher into the tree. Ruby just sighed, eating the rest of the steak in silence before dropping back to the ground for a good night's sleep.

Unaware that there was something else watching them from the trees.

* * *

"Ruby...Ruby, wake up. Wake up now."

The silver-eyed Huntress gently pushed away the hand that was poking her. "Five more minutes, Yang."

A dry chuckle. "Your hot sister isn't here, kid. It's the blind asshole."

Ruby flipped in her little sleeping bag. "Lemme sleep…"

 _WHAM!_ "Don't lie to me, you _freak!_ "

That made Ruby wake up. She pushed past Fox and darted out of the tent, and her eyes were greeted with the sight of Arslan standing above both a stunned Viper and a tearful, shuddering Marion. Several Reapers had their weapons trained on the aggressive Huntress, seemingly looking for a reason to engage.

Velvet looked terrified and even more skittish than usual as she and Nora pulled Arslan away from the target of her ire. Lie Ren had his hand on the ground as he channeled his semblance, trying to mask as many emotions as he could. Even Nora was less than bubbly and cheerful, and the nervous look on her face got Ruby's attention like a canary in a dust mine.

"I-I'm not lying!" protested Marion, "Vipers are cold-blooded, they can't generate body heat like we do. So when they coil up around you gently, it doesn't mean they're going to crush you - it just means they're cold! She was just trying to stay warm! She didn't mean to hurt you!"

"How do you know?" roared Arslan, "Can you speak snake? Do you weirdos have some secret language that only you can understand? Because I _saw_ what that thing can do! And I'm not letting it happen to me!"

"She wouldn't do that! She's kind and gentle and -"

" _Marion. Enough."_

Elena's voice was firm as she suddenly appeared next to Ruby. The young Reaper crawled up alongside the grounded Viper, who slithered around her to comfort her. Arslan glared at the elder Reaper.

"I don't know who the hell you people think you are, but -"

"Arslan," said Ruby firmly. She looked to Elena. "I'm really sorry about -"

" _Apologize later. Get your weapons. Now. We're not the only hunters out here."_

The other Reapers suddenly formed a semi-circle, weapons pointed outwards in all directions. The other Huntsmen and Huntresses formed a triangular formation, with Fox unhooking his arm-blades, Lie Ren producing StormFlower from his long sleeves, and Velvet creating a copy of Pyrrha's spear and shield.

Nora grabbed Magnhild from its resting spot in her tent, tossing Crescent Rose to Ruby before clicking the safety of her grenade launcher. The massive scythe unfolded in her hands as she spun it around into firing position, while Elena brought her custom rifle up to bear.

"Um," said Ruby nervously, "shouldn't you guys be doing that shadow thing right about now?"

" _It won't help in broad daylight,"_ explained Elena tersely, " _and trying to hide in the woods would be tantamount to suicide. Our predators excel in dark, dense environments - our best chance for survival lies on being out in the open."_

"Why? What are we fighting?"

"Wa-Langs," growled Arslan through gritted teeth.

"Wa-What's?" asked Nora.

"Wa-Langs," answered Velvet, "Silent predators that thrive in these woods. They're vicious, ruthless, and worst of all, cunning."

At the lack of comprehension on his partner's face, Ren turned to Nora. "You remember those things we saw once? The ones that looked like praying mantises?"

"Oh, those things!" said Nora with a gleam of realization. Then it gave way to a horrified stare. "Oh... _those_ things."

" _Stay vigilant,"_ warned Elena, " _They wouldn't dare attack us in an open space. They're not as agile on flat terrain as they are in the woodlands."_

Of course, the moment those words left her mouth, a dozen Wa-Langs emerged out of the thicket and pounced upon the expectant hunters.

Ruby gasped in horror as she reflexively fired Crescent Rose at the fourteen-foot-tall insectoids, standing on four clawed legs and possessing razor-sharp forearms and a small triangular head with big bulbous eyes. It looked like the unholy love child between a Sectoid, a Chryssalid, and a Lancer Queen, and even the high-caliber dust rounds just brushed off its bony chitin plating like they were foam darts. The Wa-Langs moved in twitchy, snappy movements, clicking its mandibles and buzzing its wings in a cacophony of noise. One of them appeared to be two or three times larger than the rest of them - clearly, this was the leader of this pack of normally-solitary hunters.

" _Scatter!"_ yelled one of the Reapers before one of the Wa-Langs snatched him up in its front claws, pinching him between its front legs until the bones cracked. Ruby (and most of the other Huntresses and Huntsmen) had to turn away as the unfortunate man was promptly decapitated and vivisected.

" _We've lost Ryker! Reapers, into the treetops and prep claymores and ripjacks!"_ ordered Elena, " _Vipers, work with the Hunters to hold these things off while we prepare an ambush of our own!"_

"Your plan is to _run and hide?!_ " asked Arslan incredulously.

Vessira hissed in response, hefting her boltcaster at the nearest Wa-Lang and firing a six-inch-long steel bolt into its eye. Two other Vipers lashed out with their tongues, ensnaring the throat of the half-blinded Grimm and pulling it down towards them, allowing Vessira the chance to coil up around its head and snap it with one powerful squeeze. The Reapers fired their ripjacks and disappeared into the trees, which one of the Wa-Langs noticed and tried to pursue, only to find its legs ensnared by another pair of tongues.

Ruby understood immediately. "Vessira's right! We need to keep their focus on us!"

"How do you-"

" _You're just gonna have to TRUST me, Arslan!_ " she exclaimed. "Push them towards the middle, and circle around them! Kill them if you get a chance, but keep them contained!"

The team of Vipers and Hunters went to work, antagonizing the towering insectoids in their own unique ways. Ruby swung Crescent Rose around in scythe mode, tearing off a chunk of a Wa-Lang's back leg and making it turn its attention on her. Arslan leapt into the air and flung herself towards the nearest Grimm, delivering two mid-air kicks before darting away into the trees to prep another ambush.

Ren and Fox used their agility and speed to cut and shoot the undersides of the Grimm, while Nora provided a steady salvo of grenades to carpet the Wa-Langs in pink explosions. The insectoid monsters turned their attention away from the escaping Reapers, instead focusing their eyes on the tiny humans that dared strike them. All the while, the shadowy whispers of the Reapers sounded through the air, barely audible above the frantic sound of the fight.

" _This is Elena Dragunov. Sound off._ "

" _Nieve LaCroix, ready."_

As she tangled with her own Wa-Lang, Ruby kept a close eye on the rest of the team. Vessira soon found herself in full retreat as the clawed forelegs of another Wa-Lang pounded into the ground, trying to pin the snake to the forest floor. Ren and Fox danced and countered the jabs and slashes of the towering insects, knocking them away with flying kicks and powerful uppercuts. Nora leapt back and narrowly dodged the swipes of four angry Wa-Langs (including the largest one), leading them towards a waiting Velvet flanked by two Vipers.

" _Ricardo DuPont, ready to rock."_

" _Marion Mendez, here."_

"Velvet, Missat, Kassom, now!" ordered Ruby as she used Crescent Rose to propel herself over the sideswipes of her own adversary. The two Vipers obliged, throwing out weighted bolos and binding the front claws of two of the Wa-Langs together. Velvet threw her digitized version of Milo like a javelin, sticking the bladed tip into the chittering mandibles of the biggest monster and making it nearly choke on its own mouth.

Missat and Kassom used their tongues to ensnare the fourth one's neck, pulling back forcefully and making its jaw slam into the forest floor. Nora leapt backwards and landed on top of Velvet's copy of Akuo; with the extra height from her boosted jump she brought the business end of Magnhild's hammer form down onto the pinned Wa-Lang's skull, bringing the total number of Grimm down to ten.

" _Natascha Ivanov, weapons free."_

" _Rosetta Stone, ready."_

Enraged by the loss of two of their own, the Wa-Lang redoubled their attack. While the ones with bolos around their front claws chewed through the bindings, the pack leader bit through the digital construct lodged in its mouth, snapping it into shards of light with a quick snap of its jaws.

Nora barely had time to react before the massive praying mantis surged forward and grabbed her in its front claws, lifting her up and screeching loudly as its mandibles clicked and clacked and tried to bite her. The thunderous teenager bravely pushed against the attacker, but right now the shaft of Magnhild thrust against the mandibles and her legs pushing against the chitin chest were the only things keeping her alive.

" _Alonso Martinez, in position."_

" _Bolo Santosi, claymores prepped."_

Velvet hastily summoned another weapon from her datastore, but was interrupted mid-construction by a swiping clawed leg that sent her flying into the treeline. Missat and Kassom hissed and lunged towards the Wa-Lang that held onto Nora, sinking their fangs into the Grimm's chitinous plating. The massive Wa-Lang stumbled a bit before shrugging off the effects of the venom, buzzing its wings angrily and swatting them away with a powerful kick of its legs.

" _Adam Johnson, standing by."_

A loud hiss from Ruby's left brought her attention to another fighter in dire straights. One of the Vipers hadn't been quick enough in dodging the Wa-Lang's bladed front legs, and found its reptilian body pinned to the ground by a wicked-looking talon. A front claw snapped closed like a pair of scissors, and the poor snake was split in half. Mercifully, death came instantly.

" _They got Dussan! We need to act now!"_

" _Patience, young one. The time will come soon."_

Ruby hoped that "soon" meant sometime within the next five seconds, because it would take the Wa-Langs about that long to win. Fox's attempt at an Aura Palm attack against an exposed underside had been intercepted by another pair of Grimm, who knocked him over and swarmed on him like flies on honey. Blind and on his back, Fox could only raise his forearms to try to block the strikes of the giant bugs as they kicked and stomped on him, steadily dropping his Aura.

" _George Hamilton, in position."_

Ren moved to help Nora, firing StormFlower wildly at the Grimm threatening his childhood friend, though against the thick chitin plating he may as well have been shooting frozen peas. Vessira and Rossal lashed out with their tongues and bound the neck and shoulder of another Wa-Lang, but it tugged hard against its captors, pulling them towards it and driving its bladed legs into their midsections, pinning them and priming them for a quick kill.

" _Finch Donovan, ready to strike."_

Fox's Aura finally gave out, and he was left literally fighting blind as a trio of hungry insects swarmed him. Another Wa-Lang noticed Ren firing on the pack leader, and tackled him from behind, rolling with the agile Huntsman and pinning a clawed leg against his chest. Desperate to save _somebody_ , Ruby surged forward in a flurry of rose petals, knocking into the Wa-Lang pinning the Vipers before swinging Crescent Rose through the stubby but strong shoulder joints, severing the arms of the offending Grimm.

Rather than go for the kill, she spun around in mid-air, aiming at one of the bugs that was ganging up on Fox. She had just managed to fire off two shots before the armless Wa-Lang snatched her cape in its mandibles, whipping her around and sending her flying and crashing into a nearby tree. She groaned as the bark crunched and the tree splintered on impact, sliding down as she watched the armless Wa-Lang close in on her, mandibles clicking eagerly as it sized up its prey.

 _Now I know how the deer felt,_ thought a dazed and confused Ruby Rose. She knew she had to get up, but she'd prefer if the world stopped spinning first. And it didn't look like her armless friend was patient enough to give her the chance.

The Wa-Lang raised its front leg, ready to bring it down on the young Captain…

And suddenly a pair of explosive satchel charges flew out from the trees, sticking to the face of the Grimm. In the split second it took for the Wa-Lang to realize something was on its face, a silenced shot from a custom rifle struck the casing, detonating both charges in an explosion of raw dust and steel bits. When the smoke cleared, the now-headless Wa-Lang toppled over to the ground, already dissolving into shadows.

" _The time for hiding is over!_ "

A chorus of cables, steel bolts, custom rifle rounds, and claymores soon filled the air as the Reapers struck from the shadows. A wounded Vessira and Rossal were pulled out of sight, and Ruby watched as a younger Reaper (likely Marion) administered some sort of sticky salve to the bleeding Vipers. The rest of the hidden attackers focused their efforts on dismantling the Wa-Langs one by one, starting with the most immediate threats.

A trio of Reapers grappled onto the monsters that threatened Fox, jamming their bladed ripjacks into the mandibles and slicing outward, cleaving through the head of each insectoid Grimm. Cables hooked onto each limb of a Wa-Lang moving towards Velvet and retracted hard, pulling the giant bug in six different directions until it was ripped apart piece by piece. Elena emptied the entire magazine of her bolt-action weapon with speed that rivaled even Ruby Rose, pumping round after round into the Wa-Lang pinning down Ren in the blink of an eye until it finally died.

With six Wa-Langs dead in the space of a second, it didn't take the Hunters and Vipers long to deal with the last four. Ren jumped up in an aura-assisted leap, deploying the electrified prongs on StormFlower as he came into contact with Nora. Now supercharged in a haze of pink lightning, Nora headbutted the super-sized mantis that was trying to bite through Magnhild's shaft, cracking its skull and making it reel back right into a hail of boltcaster spikes launched from the trees.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" Nora taunted, her voice booming like thunder as she wound up in mid-air, slamming Magnhild into its jaw and sending it flying.

The Wa-Lang King fell to the ground in an undignified pile of limbs and claws, still alive but slow to rise to its feet. The other Wa-Langs quickly rushed to the aid of their leader, forming a barrier between it and the ground fighters and stretching their arms while hissing and buzzing their wings.

"Hey Velvet!" called Ruby, "Got any good shots of me?"

The rabbit faunus smiled. "You know it! You ready?"

"After you!"

A pale digital copy of Crescent Rose appeared in Velvet's hands, and after a second of aiming she launched herself at one of the remaining Wa-Langs. Ruby propelled herself into a ballistic spin, which Velvet mirrored as the two teens carved through the unaware insect like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Arslan swept in from the trees and hooked another Wa-Lang on her rope dart, yanking it towards her before delivering an Aura-infused palm strike on its exposed underside. The mantis swelled up like a balloon before bursting like a bubble, sending bits and pieces of chitin shards and Grimm matter flying.

More steel bolts and custom rifle rounds poured into the only undamaged Wa-Lang, piercing it and perforating it until it resembled a pincushion made of Swiss cheese. A headshot from two Crescent Roses finished it off, leaving only a smoking husk of a shell standing for just a moment before it faded into smoke.

"Now that's picture perfect!" laughed Velvet as the weapon faded.

"Photoshoot isn't over yet!" said Ruby, locking eyes with the last opponent.

The Wa-Lang King, sensing that it was outmatched against the remaining fighters, elected to flee...but not before heading towards one more vulnerable target: Marion, who was so busy tending to the wounded Vipers that she was completely unaware of the Grimm charging at her from behind.

"No!" cried Ruby, quickly bringing Crescent Rose up to bear. But she needn't have bothered - a yellow-clad blur leapt from out of sight, planting both feet against the side of its head in one hell of a dropkick. The Wa-Lang screeched in agony as Arslan threw out her rope dart again, delivering a flying knee strike against the underside of its jaw. Grenades from Magnhild and spikes from Boltcasters struck the armored carapace, but this did little save for stagger the massive beast.

Arslan looked at Ruby and tilted her head towards a tree branch, hooking her weapon onto it and yanking herself up there. In a burst of recoil from Crescent Rose, Ruby joined the leader of team ABRN on a perch overlooking the battlefield.

"This thing's armor is tougher than it looks," reported Arslan, "It's a little thinner around its neck, but - what are you grinning about?"

"You do know that you just saved a Reaper's life, right?" asked Ruby coyly.

"Not having this talk right now!" said Arslan, though she allowed herself a small smile. "Seriously, though, got any ideas?"

Ruby watched as the Wa-Lang King tanked bolt after bolt, grenade after grenade, and claymore after claymore. The combined onslaught of the Reapers, Vipers, and a supercharged Nora kept it staggered and off-balance, but everytime Velvet or Ren went in for the killing blow, it would just duck and dodge out of the way of their deadly blades.

"You said that the armor around its neck is thinner, right? If we could punch through that, we could probably decapitate it."

"That's what I was thinking," nodded Arslan, "But good luck getting it to hold still long enough to finish it. That things' faster than our blades, faster than us."

"Not if we string it up first," said Ruby with a grin.

Arslan flashed a smile. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Ruby nodded eagerly. "I think I am. I'll cover you!"

With that, the two team leaders leapt off the branch and into the fray, as Arslan hooked her rope dart around the front claw of the Wa-Lang. The chittering insect looked up from the Viper it was trying to pin and hissed in retaliation, but a few well-placed shots from Crescent Rose poured into its throat, sending it stumbling back. Rather than press the advantage, Arslan darted back into the undergrowth, roping the silky white cable around a tree trunk and pulling it taut.

"Reapers, follow Arslan's lead! Velvet, I need something that can give me a height boost! Everyone else, fall back and get ready to pull!"

The shadowy figures were quick to comply with Ruby's orders, firing ripjack cables at the Wa-Lang as it struggled to free itself from the rope binding it in place. Soon it wasn't just the front claw that was ensnared - every single limb had a pair of cords wrapped around it. The Reapers dropped out of their trees and looped their own restraints around massive trunks, with some of them gathering around Arslan while the rest found an equally-sturdy tree on the other side of the clearing to use as a pulley. Nora and Ren fell back to the lion-hearted Huntress, while the five remaining Vipers slithered over to the other side with their Reaper kin.

Velvet's camera glowed inside its box, and lines formed around her arm and shoulder until a wireframe replica of a MEC arm appeared, complete with a Kinetic Strike Module primed and ready to release. "Will this work?" she asked.

Ruby grinned. "Talos? Great choice! Now everyone! PULL!"

Nineteen pairs of hands pulled as hard as they could on the twelve lines, yanking the Wa-Lang's limbs outward and making it fall onto its underside like a fly caught in a spiderweb. The insectoid Grimm hissed and snarled, buzzing its wings angrily in an attempt to free itself. But no matter how hard it pulled against its restraints, the humans and Vipers pulled harder. The Wa-Lang was pinned, and it knew it.

Ruby leapt towards Velvet, who swung upwards with the massive mechanized fist and released the stored energy at the very apex of the swing. The hyper-ballistic Huntress went sailing high into the sky, unhooking the blade of Crescent Rose and tilting it up to expose more cutting edge. Using her psionically enhanced senses she zeroed in on a cracked chunk of chitin on the back of the Wa-Lang's neck, easily able to be severed by a single powerful blow. She fired her weapon behind her and let gravity do the rest of the work, spinning like a pinwheel of death as she fell towards the trapped insect until she brought her blade down executioner style, slicing off the head of the massive beast with one smooth stroke.

The last Wa-Lang finally dissolved into dust and smoke.

For a moment, nothing happened. No one dared to move, no one wanted to say anything for fear of inviting more Grimm into the fray.

Nora, as usual, was the one to break the silence.

"So...anyone else really want breakfast right now? Because I sure worked up an appetite."

Despite every part of her being wracked with pain, Rossal hissed in laughter.

* * *

Compared to the battle that morning, the rest of the hunting trip was quite dull. Thanks to Lie Ren's medical experience and Marion's strange gel, Rossal and Vessira were able to make a full recovery within mere hours. After Velvet used a portion of her own Aura to jump-start Fox's, the young man could see and hunt once more.

By the time the third evening rolled around, the hunting party had gathered enough deer meat to feed the entire Avenger crew twice over, and more than enough leather and bones to use in equipment fabrication. In addition, they had foraged baskets full of wild fruits and berries, for the Mistrali Huntsmen back on the ship. And to everyone's surprise, Arslan herself led a vigil for the Reaper and the Viper that had fallen prey to the Wa-Lang. While their remains were nowhere to be found, the Mistrali monk set up a pair of wooden crosses over where they had fallen, with their names engraved into the wood.

Elena, Arslan, and Ruby stood in front of the crosses, joined by their friends and family. All of them stood with their heads bowed in silence, as Rossal touched her snout to the cross erected in honor of her sister.

"There's just one thing I don't understand," said Lie Ren quietly, "What happened to their bodies? Typical Mistral funeral rites involve embalming the body with Dust, or burying them with fresh flowers. I would have liked to do the same for them."

"It would not have been possible," said Elena somberly, "Just as the forms of the Grimm fade into nothing upon death, so too do our bodies. It is just one of the many prices we have paid in gaining these powers...when we die, we leave nothing, not even our ashes."

"So…" quipped Fox, "we don't have to worry about accidental cannibalism?"

"Fox!" Velvet quietly elbowed her teammate.

Alonso chuckled. "Nope, no need to fret about us putting some human and viper steaks in the freezers. Although I have heard that human meat is pretty similar to venison…"

Velvet looked queasy. Vessira smacked the smartass sniper on the back of the skull. Ruby chuckled a little bit, before turning her gaze on the figure standing between herself and the elder Reaper.

Arslan closed her eyes, tears welling up. "I'm...I'm sorry for what I said. About the Reapers and the Vipers. About you. I was found by monks when I was abandoned as a child...but nobody found you. Nobody took you in, nobody vowed to protect you. You were forced to do whatever it took to survive, no matter how painful."

Elena shook her head. "That's just it, child. Someone _did_ find us."

"The Archon?" offered Ruby hopefully.

Another head shake. "No...you."

Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean? You found us."

"Only because fate brought you to our mountain," said Elena with a wry smile, "and gave us a gift we had all but lost as we snuck around in the shadows, scrounging for supplies and keeping ourselves isolated. You gave us hope of a better Remnant, of a Remnant that could be saved. The Archon believes in you, XCOM of Earth...and so do I."

That was enough to push the tears in Arslan's eyes past the tipping point, streaming down her face as she sobbed quietly. Ruby reached out and took her hand in her own, and surprisingly, she did not pull away this time. Even more surprisingly, Elena did the same on the other side.

The Bullhead would arrive tomorrow morning. The tents and equipment would need to be torn down, and the meat would have to be packed up.

But for now, as the sun went down on the woods of Anima, all was quiet.


	13. Drunk Coding

A/N: One of these days, I'm going to figure out how to be consistent with posting TFTA chapters.

* * *

 **Title:** Drunk Coding

 **Author:** FloridaMan

Lily went straight to the ship's bar after her shift was over. She had gotten several little projects done today and felt that warranted a little treat. Nothing alcoholic of course, not like any of the bartenders would let her drink under threat of her father. Perhaps a float of some kind? Ice cream and soda sounded nice right about now.

After making her order, a bob of orange hair at the end of the bar caught her eye. Lily turned to see it was Penny of all people. Last time Lily had seen her, it was during the clean up of Amity and she was as still as a corpse. She was still a bit bandaged up in spots, likely waiting for the extra skin grafts to come in. Being a robot, she wasn't eating anything, but was looking around the bar at the other groups of people, tilting her head as if to try and hear them better. Right now, she was focused on a group playing poker in the middle of the room. Her face expressed a mild confusion as she watched the cards and chips be shuffled around. It was kinda cute, if Lily had to be honest.

A clink from the float placed in front of her snapped Lily out of her stare. With a quick "thank you", she grabbed it and then walked over to Penny and sat down on the stool next to her. "Interested in learning poker?"

Her words seemed to startle Penny as she jumped in her seat. Her wide eyes took in Lily's form as if just noticing her for the first time. "Wha-? Oh! No, I don't think I'm much interested in a game that requires lying." She had a sheepish look on her face. "I've been told I'm not good at hiding my lies."

Lily chuckled. "Then you really should stay away from Vegas. Name's Lily Shen, by the way."

"Penny Polendina, but I guess you already knew that." She offered a small smile.

"Yep, but I'm glad to finally meet the original Penny." Lily took a spoonful of ice cream and ate it. Gulping it down, she then asked. "So what are you doing?"

Penny pursed her lips for a moment, and then said,"I was attempting to observe other X-COM operatives in inebriated states. My digital clone has logs of time spent in the bar, but in very little amounts and so I could not find enough data."

"Data on what, exactly? How many drinks Ruby can knock back?" Lily said half-jokingly.

Penny shook her head. "No, it's…" Penny's eyes drifted to the side for a moment as she contemplated. "Lily, you are friends with my counterpart, correct? Would that make us friends as well?"

"I don't see why not," Lily said, spooning another dollop of ice cream.

"Then as my friend, could you keep a secret?" Penny gazed at Lily with pleading eyes. Filled with the child-like innocence, and guilt, of one who fears reprisal. For what, it was anyone's guess.

As cute as it was, Lily knew that this was serious to Penny. "I won't tell another soul. Pinky promise."

"What is a 'pinky promise'?"

"It's an important, sacred promise back on Earth. Let me show you." Lily took Penny's hand and went through the motions of linking pinkies. "There's plenty of variations, but this is how it generally goes. Those who break it will have bad luck for seven days, or that's what I've been told."

Penny's eyes widened with fascination as she stared at the interlocked fingers. "Is it magic?"

"Some say it is. Now, I pinky promise I won't tell anyone your secret." Lily shook fingers before breaking contact. "So what's the secret?" Lily took a drink of her soda.

Penny, appearing much calmer now, said with confidence, "I want to experience being drunk."

Lily's eyes shot open and she tried to shout but quickly found soda going down the wrong way. After a few moments of coughing and blinking away the fizzing sensation in her sinuses, she stared at Penny. "Okay, I have several questions. How about we start with why do you want to get drunk?"

"I've noticed that whenever soldiers are mentally fatigued, they would always talk about needing a drink or complain about being sober. What few videos my counterpart had, they all showed that those who were drinking were having fun." Penny hiccuped. She quickly covered her mouth and blushed.

Lily smiled. "Penny, you don't have to get drunk to have fun with friends. Just watching them be drunk can be fun."

Penny giggled. "Yes, watching Weiss Schnee proclaim herself as Queen of Arendelle was most amusing, but I wanted to try it for myself. Maybe I would feel good enough to do something silly as well."

If Lily hadn't been paying attention, she wouldn't have caught the sad smile or the dip in her tone. "Penny, what's this really about?"

Penny's eyes shifted away. "Nothing." She hiccuped again, louder this time.

Lily caught on. "You're right. You're really not good at hiding your lies." Seeing Penny look ashamed, Lily grasped her hand. "Penny, I pinky promised I wouldn't tell anyone your secret, and I'll say it again if I have to, but please tell me what's wrong. I'm your friend."

"You're a lot like Ruby was when we first met," Penny said after a moment of silence. She sighed and continued, "Can we take this somewhere more private?"

* * *

Lily locked the door to her workshop and turned to Penny. "Only one who can listen now is your other self, and I asked her to give us some privacy. So tell me what's been eating at you."

"Do you know what happened at Amity?" Penny asked.

Lily winced. "Yes, but that wasn't you that attacked Bradford. It was the virus controlling you."

Penny stood up. "But it was me! It was my swords, my weapons that could have killed him, Ruby, and Ryder!" She looked downcast. "I should have been stronger. I should have been able to resist it! If I had, then…" Penny shuddered. "I don't like having these memories, but I can't bring myself to erase them. I need them to remember why I have to be stronger, but it hurts to think about. Ruby mentioned how her uncle tends to drink a lot when he's going through painful memories. To dull the pain of them. I wondered if I could do the same."

Lily made a mental note to talk to Ruby later. "Penny, my father once told me that the only time alcohol is a solution is when you work with chemicals." Lily stepped forward to give Penny a hug. "I won't pretend to understand what you're feeling, but I will be here for you and so will Ruby. So just talk to us when you start feeling this way again. Okay?"

Penny sniffed. "Okay. Thank you for listening."

"That's what friends do, Penny," Lily said, as she pulled away. "Now, I believe the next question I had was how are we going to get you drunk?"

Penny blinked and then her expression turned into confusion. "I thought you said alcohol wasn't the solution?"

"It isn't, but that's for when you're feeling down. You saw the videos. Drinking alcohol can be fun with friends. I can't drink yet, but nothing says you can't."

"I don't know…"

Lily put a hand on Penny's shoulder. "Think of it this way. It can be a project to keep your mind off of Amity. Plus, if it works, you could make a bunch of new friends at the next big celebration."

Penny's eyes widened. "More friends?"

"Mmmhm." Lily nodded.

"That sounds sensational!" Penny twirled in place. "Thank you, Friend Lily! Let us begin immediately!"

"So here's what I'm thinking…"

* * *

A/N: Hey, readers. If this chapter seems short or incomplete, that's because it's intentional. As much as I would love to continue these shipping shenanigans, I have a few reasons to pause here.

1) The canonicity of this ship in RU is questionable at best and just platonic at worst.

2) Since this starts around after the patch job on Patch, there's not enough time to let this fluffy ship fully bloom. This chapter is just a first contact scene between the characters, planting the seed if you will.

If I decide to continue, I will need more time in canon to allow for relationship growth. For now, I will keep it this way to allow Amish to use/reference as he wishes.

P.S. This chapter is dedicated to Chief Scientist Ramboing (from the discord server) as a tribute to his favorite ship (Alien Alloy) and as a slight apology for flooding the server channels with Striped Sweater content (Bradford and Sienna) and starting a shipping cult for it.


	14. The Last Day

A/N: So I really like the tone of this one. I don't know if it's totally accurate for Winter and Weiss to spend a day and a half lounging around, but I like to think of it more along the lines of XCOM 2's Bradford recounting stories of the old Resistance during the Tactical Legacy Pack: if Weiss is telling a story about her last day with Winter before Merlot's operation, is anyone _really_ going to call her out for an embellishment or two?

* * *

 **Title:** The Last Day

 **Author:** Dessel "Pax" Ordo

Winter is pacing the safe-house, barely holding her nerves together, and waiting for Weiss. She usually keeps this one empty in case one of her subordinates needs a bolt-hole, but with the procedure with Dr. Merlot on Monday, the General doesn't have her running any undercover ops. So, instead of dealing with family bullshit after her meeting with Weiss' XCOM contact Friday, she had come to this almost nice condo right on the border of one of Atlas' slums and the adjacent middle class neighborhood. The sort of place almost important mobsters a step or two above street thugs tend to call home, but comfortable enough for an extended stay away from father and Whitley. Though she would tell anyone who asked that it was just a test of the many codes she and Weiss had worked out, the real reason she had sent her sister a message to meet with her here can be traced straight back to the younger Schnee having let slip that 'after nine months you pick up a few things' after Winter had commented on how much XCOM had taught her in such a short time. Turns out Bradford was right to ask about their relationship, and now she has just over a day to reconnect with the only member of her family she still cares for before she will likely become... mentally compromised.

Knock Knock-knock ding-dong - _is the location secure?_ \- Winter looks through the peephole to see a young woman about her sisters build clad in faded, slightly torn gray fatigue pants, a bulky Atlesian armed forces camo coat with a well used rucksack slung over her shoulder. The Hazel eyes and raven black hair tied in a low, snakelike ponytail down the center of her back isn't exactly what she had been expecting however. Thump Thump - _secure, I'm alone_ \- Winter bangs on the wall in response as she unlocks the door. The girl, just another Atlesian soldier on leave by all appearances lets herself in, closes the door, then with Weiss' voice asks "Do you have somewhere I can wash the dye out?" as she drops the bag to the modest kitchens floor and removes one contact, revealing a pale blue eye.

Winters eyes light up with understanding and a hint of approval as she points to a mostly shut door to the right of the modest kitchen/entryway "Snuck out during the guard change?" she asks for confirmation as Weiss hangs the coat on the hook next to the door, revealing a faded olive drab t-shirt with a stylized gold helmet on the back and master sergeants chevrons on the shoulders.

The younger Schnee nods as she enters the bathroom, shucking out of the shirt leaving her clad in a no-nonsense beige sports bra as she starts the faucet for the bathtub and sticks her head under it to set about washing out the dye "If you have less than seven digits in your bank account and common heritage you may as well be a cockroach to father and Whitley." She chuckles as she squirts some shampoo Winter had left in the shower last night into her hand. "Walked right past both of them and they didn't suspect a thing." Winter can't help but shake her head at that, not able to even admonish Weiss for being unfair, since she is absolutely right. Without the guard staff security would be non-existent at the Schnee manor when both her and Weiss are away.

The next ten minutes or so pass in not quite awkward silence. Winter is leaning in the bathrooms doorway clad in her light gray slacks and pale blue blouse, patiently waiting for her sister to finish getting back to looking like herself. Though something Winter spots as her sister sets about drying her once again white tresses gives her pause "Is that... a tattoo?"

Weiss slips into her t-shirt, probably an old training top going by the sweat stains, drapes a fresh towel over her right shoulder so her still damp ponytail doesnt get the shirt in question wet and simply replies "Yea. Covers a nasty scar too." as she pads past Winter, through the kitchen and into the living room. Like the rest of the duplex, its the epitome of lower middle class comfort. A plain dark brown leather couch and love-seat set against a wall, recliner with a side table, screen for a projector set up on the wall all the seating faces and safe, neutral colored walls and carpet.

Winter follows her sister into the living room, suddenly worried "If father finds out-"

Plopping onto the couch in a very unladylike manner, Weiss cuts her off "My usual clothes all have long sleeves, everyone in the family has their own _wing_ of rooms separate from the main manor that no one ever enters unannounced, and none of us would _dream_ of entering the manor proper anything less than properly dressed to be seen in public." She pauses as Winter sits down on the couch across from her, before adding "And I got it a few months before coming back to Remnant." Winter just looks over at her, more than a little unsettled by her sisters current blunt lack of tact. Weiss sighs a bit "Look, I know what I let slip during planning last night and that you want proof."

Winter frowns and looks away for a moment before looking back to her sister. "Weiss, its not just that. I..." she trails off, not sure what to say next.

The silence hangs uncomfortably for a few minutes, before Weiss sighs and replies. "Look, I know that our family is... bad, when it comes to showing affection. And that you would have some questions, and, since tomorrow is probably the last day you will have complete control of yourself until we get this mess sorted out..." now its Weiss' turn to trail off, her face shifting from casual boredom to uncertain determination before she takes a calming breath and continuing "So, I figured that I would just, stop acting like the perfect heiress like I always do when I'm anywhere on Mantle, or near a camera, and just, be myself, tell my sister some stories, maybe show her some recordings, and..." she trails off, but the _actually bond_ Weiss had refrained from verbally stating still hangs heavy in the air.

After nearly a minute, Winter hesitantly replies "I... I'll try to do the same." She glances askance at her suddenly timid looking sister, arches an eyebrow and queries "Videos?"

Weiss lets out a self deprecatory chuckle "Before we all got back I was naive enough to think fathers approval could be, earned, by impressive enough achievements. So, I loaded up my scroll with some of the bodycam and guncam footage from Strike Eights ops, to show him along with some of my other achievements."

Winter winces internally at that, decides to table it and instead asks "You keep saying months, when I know that your team was only with the Valean Recon Division, or XCOM, for three weeks. And Strike Eight?"

Weiss shoots Winter a questioning look from across the couch. "You're Ironwoods right hand, and I know Bradford gave him the debrief Ozpin had planned on before we all left Vale."

The older girl shrugs as Weiss sets her scroll on the coffee table in front of the couch and starts tapping away, firing up the projector and most likely going to her stored videos. "Then the General debriefed me... but I want to hear it from you."

Rolling her eyes and leaning back into the couch again, while running a hand through her still damp ponytail Weiss offers a simple "XCOM is from Earth, a totally different planet from Remnant, and the two were connected by an almost understood phenomena that allowed portals between the two to be opened until Cinder destroyed the Vale CCTS tower. There is a twelve to one time disparity between the two, so the three weeks my team spent on Earth from Remnants perspective was nine months on Earth. We spent eight of those months helping XCOM fight off an invading alien force partly because protecting people is what huntresses do, and partly because they wouldn't be able to put enough research or resources into the phenomenon until after the invasion had been stopped."

Winter, having seen no indications of deceit on her sisters face during the clipped summary nods. "Which is more or less what Ironwood told me." Weiss rolls her eyes at that, but Winter presses on anyways "And Strike eight?"

A proud grin spreads across Weiss' face as she pulls the t-shirts sleeve up to reveal what Winter now knows is XCOMs logo, though, instead of a strange planet behind the x dividing the pentagon, an elaborate number eight dominating the bottom quadrant, with the word, or, rather name 'Noscope' in the upper quad, with 'BFG' in the left and 'Sabertooth' in the right. "My squad, or, Strike team if you want to split hairs."

"You lead it?" Winter queries, more than a touch confused, as she had heard more than a few references to one Captain Rose during her time fighting, and later co-ordinating with XCOM during and after the Battle of Beacon and subsequent evacuation of refugees and displaced tourists.

The younger of the pair shakes her head "No, Ruby is both our Team leader and CO." before launching into a rather confusing and profanity laden recounting of how team RWBY had ended up on Earth.

Winter directs a withering glare at Weiss as the tale of how they first met XCOM winds down, which her sister ignores with an infuriatingly familiar demeanor. "And this Central Officer took the word of three seventeen year-olds and one fifteen year-old that the youngest, most excitable and naive of them was actually the leader?"

Weiss tilts her head to the side, taps her hair again, tosses the towel at the hamper near a closed door opposite what the younger Schnee probably had rightly guessed were the bedrooms, and retorts "Does the woman you met after Beacon fell match the picture my letters from before we went dark painted?" Winter simply shakes her head as a response. "So, after we trained with their gear for a few weeks-"

"Wait, trained with their gear, I thought your intel on huntresses and their prowess is what sold Central on letting you join their cause?" Winter cuts her sister off, earning a huff for an initial response.

Winter holds her gaze and silence however, so Weiss continues "Well, our auras and semblances didn't work. That we had already accepted a profession that may kill us in the line of duty and that we had extensive prior training is all that let Bradford go even that far."

The elder Schnee pauses, the condos automated systems switching the lights on as Saturdays last rays dim enough to warrant something other than open blinds for light. "Your auras didn't work? But, once you unlock them, they're just... there, unless you burn through yours. They don't just..." she trails off, disbelief heavy on her voice.

Weiss simply reaches into the rucksack she had carried from the kitchen to the living room, pulls a strange, boxy looking object with a pistol grip, levels it at Winter and pulls the trigger. What looks like a brace of lighting bolts jumps from the emitter to Winters shocked form... and fizzles against her aura. "That's the same model Arc thrower that left Yang insensate and immobile for fifteen minutes when she thumbed her nose at body armor and XCOM guns over our combat outfits and weapons the first day. We were just four exceptionally well trained schoolgirls on Earth."

Winter knows she is normally quite good about keeping her emotions hidden beneath the surface, not letting the mask slip as it were. It's clear on Weiss face that actual worry was written across her own. "So you fought the back half of an entire war without-"

Weiss lets a smirk cross her face as she cuts Winter off "Actually, the back two thirds of the Long War, and we started during what, statistically, was the most lethal period for us. But no, after the first three and a half months or so without any access to our Auras or Semblances." she pauses, and reaches out to flick her finger up on her scroll, setting the list of videos spinning until it hits the start of the folder she had opened. "I... actually have an, amalgamation of the footage from our first mission as Strike Eight, if you want me to keep telling the story from the start for you."

Winter just nods as Weiss taps the play button and the condos projector springs to life, painting the bright white screen that had lowered itself from the ceiling over forty-five minutes ago with the video file Weiss had probably edited together in a vain attempt to gain their fathers respect and affection. The assorted crew bay, body and gun cam footage plays out for Operation Swift Flame up until Corporal Biggs' rocket missed wide and nearly killed two of Weiss' teammates. The Major sent to support the rookies started extolling about how a supposedly known, codified foe had pulled out a fresh trick, and killed off the second most seasoned member of the fresh squad while doing it. Her sisters squad. Which, as far as the footage shows, is now split into four groups, only one with more than a single soul to it. Winter slaps the scrolls screen to pause the footage, and silently pads to the kitchen, where she grabs the bottle of brandy she bought last night, and two eight-ball glasses from a cupboard. She stalks back to the living room, drops to the couch, fills each glass with three fingers of liquor, takes a healthy swallow from the one she didnt push to her sister and resumes the footage. The heart stopping terror and sense of utter failure is softened by the alcohol and Weiss' own confidence and fortitude. Then, as the body cam footage from the aftermath of Weiss jumping through a still smoldering hole in the wall and executing the commander, and, as a result the remaining invaders, Winter cant help but point out "That was reckless, sloppy, overly aggressive and could have gotten you killed."

Weiss just rolls her eyes, Winter ignores the growing sense of familiarity she is getting from her baby sister, and the younger shoots back "So I should have just let the Aays wipe out half my Team; specifically my best friend and the girl who taught me to look past race and the previous allegiances to the person standing in front of me?"

 _They're my sisters_ Winter hears all but screamed in between the lines, and accepts the hurt as piece and parcel of being born a Schnee. "So, Rose rose to the challenge, Bradford gave her command of the squad and you kept fighting from there?"

Weiss, oddly enough plucks at the corner of her shirt, before answering "No. First he promoted us to specialist, had us train for a few more weeks, then we ran Ops until..." she rubs at her tattoo, which, apparently covers a nasty scar, and, well, all scars have stories.

Winter lets a smile cross her face. "You aren't just going to skip ahead to the next time you nearly died, are you? I thought we were going to trade stories."

Weiss demures a bit, before offering "Well, Assaults tend to be close to death a bit more than operatives in other roles... but I was the first one in my team to end up on one of the propaganda pieces XCOM circulated."

Winter cocks an eyebrow at that as Weiss takes a sip of her drink before she starts panning around her scroll again "I take it this wasn't just a poster?"

"Just dont judge it on the song, the man actually did a remix of the original for us when he heard it was popular in the barracks. His producer asked for body cam footage to make a music video for the release, and..." Weiss hits play, and what Winter would have assumed a dog faunus singer if she didn't know better starts... yammering over an incredibly bombastic, bouncy beat as plain white letters flash in the lower right corner of the screen 'DMX: XCOM Give it to Ya' '

For the first minute or so the screen plays out assorted clips of XCOM operatives shooting, stabbing, blowing up or otherwise killing aliens and machines. Until the lyric 'break bread with the enemy' came up, at which point a few brief clips of XCOM operatives gunning down what looked to be horrifically mutated humans. Winter pauses the clip. "Care to explain?"

Weiss sighs, and replies "EXALT was a group of either moronic or suicidal dissidents that were working to stop XCOM. Might have been following the Ethereals orders, might just have lucked into some alien tech. Mostly worked in the shadows, so it was our spooks against theirs."

"But even the best infiltrators can have bad luck, so, instead of leaving a good spy to the tender mercies of people clearly happy to heavily modify and mutate their own..." Weiss nods and resumes the video. After around a minute or so the screen shows Weiss in the now familiar combat fatigues of an XCOM operative, ducked beneath a low wall as bolts of crimson and green zip overhead. The side of the screen flashes blinding white, the plasma-fire trails off. Weiss sprints from cover and across a street straight to a blasted out car. She plants her left hand on its trunk to vault over it, shotgun held across her chest and poking through where the rear window had been. The video slows so that just as Weiss pulls the trigger and obliterates one of the small, gray aliens head at the same time the singer barks 'Rock'. The video returns to full speed as Weiss slides across the rest of the cars trunk, using her shotguns recoil to more or less line it up with a second sectoid Winter had thought her sister hadn't noticed. Again the song slows down to perfectly time Weiss firing with the singer barking 'Roll' and a massive ragged hole being torn in the diminutive creatures torso. The video returns to full speed as Weiss launches into a forward roll that ends with her face-to chest with a massive green armored brute of an alien, the Schnees shotgun pressed up into the monsters chin. Again the video slows as a few lances of green and red zip past in the background, the singer barks out 'Pop', and the aliens head is converted to a fine red mist. Again the video speeds up, but only enough that Weiss smoothly spinning about, drawing her sidearm and putting a pair rounds into the head of the only alien she hadn't hit in the head synchs perfectly with the singer exclaiming 'Go let it go'.

Weiss just leans back into the couch, grinning as the video plays out for the rest of the song "I bet you havent been in anything half as exciting for a recruitment piece."

Winter just scowls, pulls out her scroll and pulls up a picture Weiss was probably too young to remember seeing as a poster in Atlesian Army recruitment depots. Dominating the picture is a very young looking Winter, standing at perfect attention and saluting in a privates dress uniform. "This one spiked recruitment for about a week once it got out... and got four White Fang cells so enraged that they blew their cover trying to get at recruitment depots." Weiss snickers a bit at that, and the two sisters launch into a back and forth storytelling stint about their early days as soldiers. At least until Winter notices something on the bottom of Weiss' shirt. Specifically the letters 'DMX' in some sort of permanent marker, Weiss trails off her retelling of how Yang earned the nickname BFG when she notices her sisters attention had, shifted. "So, do I need to hunt this DMX fellow down?"

Weiss pouts before defending herself "He wanted to meet the operatives that were in his re-mixs music video, and this was the only clean shirt I had that day."

Winter grins a bit "So, you had him sign your laundry day shirt? Daring of you."

Weiss just scowls harder "Its not like anyone else was giving me the time of day. Stupid Yang."

The elder Schnee cocks an eyebrow "And how is your love life Xiao Longs fault?"

Weis shrugs "She caught some idiot ogling her sister while she was changing in the barracks. Berated the dolt for checking out a minor, and left him in the infirmary with half a dozen broken bones. Bradford added a few more rules to The List not long after that."

"I'm still not seeing the connection. And 'The List?" Winter dryly replies as she takes a sip from her glass.

With a growl Weiss half shouts "I have a month on Yang, and she's three and a half older than Blake! But because my build is similar to Rubys everyone treated me like a child despite my eighteenth birthday having been a month after we got to Earth! There was even a party! Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to get shot down because the other person thinks your a kid?"

Winter cant help but giggle a bit at her sisters outburst as she admonishes "Oh Weiss, barracks romance is never a good idea. Either the whole unit ends up hearing about how you are in bed, or assumes you're easy."

Snickering herself now, Weiss prompts "Figure that out the hard way sister dearest? That sounds like a story."

At that point, Winter can no longer help herself, and just asks "So, when did my sister the heiress get replaced with my sister the career NCO?" _the sort_ _smart senior staff take one of over half a dozen Second Lieutenants fresh from the academy_ _and let get away with anything short of murder_ she leaves unsaid. Knowing far better than to give sergeants like that anywhere near that much of an ego boost, validation or wiggle room. Totally not a deflection from an utterly mortifying story.

For a moment, Weiss' eyes are far away, but she eventually answers "Probably somewhere between getting the scar this covers" she taps her shirt-covered tattoo "and the end of the Newfoundland mission."

Feeling a bit guilty over the sudden disappearance of the levity that had been filling the room, Winter offers "You... also didn't explain what 'The List' is to me."

Weiss shakes her head "No, you wanted to hear about what happened to me with XCOM, and those two operations are a big part of it. Besides, I think we'll both want something to brighten the mood after I show you what I have from those ops."

At first, the next clip is all audio, Centrals even voice describing a fairly dire base defense situation. Then the barely contained panic of the assorted defenders trying to hold the tide back. Finally the screen flickers to life in time for Winter to see a pale hand grab a shotgun from a locker before turning to follow the Belladonna girl down a concrete and steel hallway, periodically dodging other soldiers heading too or from what must have been the armory. They made it to an elevator mostly unchallenged, though a four legged, clawed monstrosity hacked its way into the cabin from above before they got to their destination. The beast may have been executed before hitting the ground of the cabin, but from the audio, Winter would assume she is seeing the final stand of XCOM, were her sister not sitting next to her. Just as Rubys panicked voice tries to warn her sister of impending doom, the elevator dings, door opens, and with a cry of bravado Weiss launches the monstrosity into the cavernous workshop turned warzone, just in time to bail the blonde out. As Weiss barrels towards a swiftly crumbling defensive line Winter cant help but ask "What... what are those things?"

"Chryssalids." Weiss answers as the footage of her cleaning house continues. "Nasty poison on all six limbs, and they plant an egg inside their victims when they kill. You turn into a zombie until it matures a few minutes later, then another bursts out of your chest." Winter watches the battle continue to get worse as more alien armored units arrive, then winces in pain when one of the insectoid monsters lacerates her sisters arm. A blur of black sweeps her off the ground level, but thanks to the cams angle she is subjected to the horror of watching Weiss arm go from its healthy pale tone to a sickly yellow-green around the ragged gash. The banter didn't really make her feel much better.

When the massive robot makes its appearance, she cant help but note "I can see why XCOM built the modified Paladin if those became regular." Weiss mumbles something in agreement but Winter can't really take her focus off the screen as Ruby keeps the behemoth distracted until reinforcements arrive. She takes another swallow of liquor. "I, can't help but wonder why your showing me this, since I'm likely going to be mentally compromised some way the day after tomorrow."

The ponytailed girl shrugs "Combat footage from over a year ago? Callsigns with no context? Tech we haven't used for just as long and the layout of a base we don't operate from anymore? Assuming an absolute worst case scenario what you learned from Ironwood when he debriefed you is _far_ more damaging than this. Hell, even the fact that Bradford had me mentor three different fresh assaults, that they are all still alive, and one was deployed to Remnant and made it through the Battle of Beacon without a scratch on his crazy Polish ass, or that he goes by Cobra is harmless information not even worth calling intelligence."

Winter nods, not really able to poke any holes in her sisters logic, before pressing "So, this, Newfoundland mission you keep referencing?"

Weiss takes a steadying breath, rolls her shoulders a bit and goes for her scroll "I... the only op I've been on that went further south faster than it did was Beacon." Wordlessly she starts the next video. First there is nothing, just an abandoned fishing town that looks like it could be anywhere in the south of Mantle or north of Mistral. A handful of ambushes at the hands of alien snipers the only contact they have for the first few minutes, and even the banter begins to ring hollow as they start piecing together what likely happened. Just as the six soldier team reaches a crashed freighter, Winter notices Weiss gaze has gone even further away. Just before she puts the thought to offer to stop the recording to word, the recording of Belladonnas voice confirms the worst case scenario. The video feed of the lines of eggs sprouting from the whale carcass, and more of the insectoid monsters is enough to send a shiver down the Specialists spine. Bradford cuts in with a plan, the faunus operative makes it to the transponder almost without a hitch. The screeching of the entire hive waking up drowns out the sound of Weiss filling her glass with fresh liquor. The roar of the Greater Hive Queen waking up has Winter flinching, and made the presence of the MEC trooper and... modified SHIV seem like entirely too little firepower for her sisters team. A stilted question and answer about the sudden use of the huntresses semblances so minimally is the only thing that interrupts the recording of the swiftly deteriorating retreat.

Fire didn't thin the hoard, rockets and grenades didn't dent their numbers, and the coordinated efforts of two skilled snipers barely kept the team safe. Winter realizes her sister probably shouldn't be alive and sitting next to her right now. A skilled huntress going all out had merely agitated the behemoth towering above the rest of the monsters, a dozen tons of robot slamming into the monstrosity behind an energy lance barely hurt it, that same robot overloading its reactor before the hero in the MEC suit going on a suicidal assault to put the beast down stunned it. Firebombing suddenly didn't seem like a comprehensive enough method to cleanse the area. The ravening swarm of zombies nearly overwhelmed the fleeing quintet, and Winter realizes there shouldn't even have been recoverable bodies for a funeral. The image that would haunt Winters nightmares however is the sequence of Weiss' cams near perfect side on view of a Chryssalid launching itself from a hanging carcass into Balladonna. Said faunus own view as the monster pinned her to the ground, then one of the other soldiers view of the girls left arm nearly being shredded by a claw ripping back out of it and into her gut. Of course, Winter knew almost immediately, it would be a petite white haired girl being savaged in her nightmares.

Winter idly realizes that her glass is empty as, on the heels of a deep shuddering breath Weiss adds "Vance stayed behind so the four of us could get out. Blake had to undergo MEC treatment to be saved, Yang volunteered to go through it with her partner. A month later team Juniper came to Earth to help us, and a few weeks after that Jaune and Vahlen were able to get us all our Auras and Semblances back to normal on Earth."

* * *

The next morning breaks to an impressively hung over Weiss laying on the safe-houses couch fighting the urge to ask Winter about why 'Qrow was here' is carved into the underside of the coffee table she had... noticed, last night. Winter entering the room looking about as good as Weiss currently feels and mumbling out "Breakfast" kills that train of thought easily enough.

The two pajama clad women make their way to the kitchen, Winter opens the freezer and curses, checks the fridge then repeats the vulgarity. Weiss checks the fridge to see, well, food. No leftovers or ready meals, but it's what she thinks one could expect from a stocked fridge "I didn't know you can cook, Winter." Weiss helpfully offers.

"I cant." the elder Schnee flatly replies, just before Weiss barks out a curse as well.

Rallying her thoughts she offers "Maybe somewhere nearby delivers breakfast?"

Winters judgmental glare would have been enough to get across the obvious negative reply to that question, but she decides to add "We're two blocks from the slums, Weiss." When the younger of the pair looks to the cupboards the elder deadpans "Weiss, more than half of my time is spent behind a desk since I made Specialist. I'm not having an MRE unless an opportunity to burn the calories will be coming up soon, and I do _not_ have the time to hit the gym or foresee any serious fights in the next few _weeks_ , forget about today."

"Well, scrambled eggs can't be _that_ hard to make, right?" Weiss eventually ventures, trying her best to sound confident.

Winter nods in agreement "And bacon only really needs to get fried, so it's not really possible to cook that wrong."

Of course, reality is far harsher than the pleasant fantasy the two women had painted for themselves. Between growing up in a mansion, attending boarding schools then joining militaries, both had always had their meals cooked and provided to them their entire lives. Weiss first attempt at cracking an egg had lead to her open palm hitting the bowls lip, half of the egg and shell in the bowl, half on the counter. Then Winter began cursing as the overly oil-filled skillet started hissing and spitting at her mostly bare arms and face. Try two at cracking an egg had left enough shell chunks in the bowl that it too had to be dumped. The third egg cracked cleanly... and was launched from the bowl by full force whisking. Moments later the smoke detector started wailing as bacon burnt and a sputtering Winter was too busy wiping egg from her face to pull the skillet from the fire. After a swift application of ice dust, and a fourth try at cracking eggs and whisking them, Winter was standing over a fresh skillet of bacon while the first defrosted in the sink as Weiss added peppers, ham and cheese before splashing in some water and milk.

So it was that Winter and Weiss found themselves sitting across the table from each other, both women glaring down at the runny, singed eggs and overly crispy, blackened bacon. Weiss, begining to feel uncomfortable with the continued silence that had stretched almost the entirety of their meal, and fairly certain that Winter would disapprove of her role in Ruby and Anettes abortive foray into starting a 'muton fight club' and the subsequent addition to The List tries a different approach. "So, why is it you dislike Qrow so much?"

Winter winces as she crunches through a strip of burnt bacon. "He's, sloppy, disrespectful, unprofessional and purposely antagonistic towards anyone from Atlas."

Weiss smirks, pulls out her scroll and quips "Really? That's not what you had to say last night."

Winters eyes widen like a deer caught in the headlights as Weiss plays the video she had pulled up. A clearly drunk Winter is half sprawled across the couch, drink in hand and mid rant. " ...his stupid chiseled abs, and that damned sexy smirk that just makes me want to..." she trails off to growl, drunkenly lifting her hands so that they could either be choking or holding someones head in place for, other, reasons. "And no one on Remnant can pull off stubble the way Qrow Branwen can, or fool so many fools into thinking-" the rest of the Specialists drunken rant is cut off as the sober version of her dives across the table with a shriek and a blush to rival Pyrrhas hair. Cackling like a madwoman Weiss dodges her mortified sisters sloppy grab as the remains of breakfast are scattered across the table. Slumped in defeat, Winter simply asks "Why?"

Still snickering, Weiss answers "Because now when we meet back up with XCOM after this mess is sorted out, you wont ask them about any of the embarrassing videos of _me_ they have."

Eyebrow cocked Winter bitterly ripostes "And what makes you think they'll want to have anything to do with me?"

"First, whatever you do after going through with Merlots treatment I highly doubt anyone will hold against you." Weiss calmly answers as she pockets her scroll and plops back onto her chair. "And second, Beagle and Mac declared it their 'sacred duty' to pull the stick out of another Schnees ass, after they heard about how you normally act and our... relationship." Winter snorts at Weiss' euphemism for the Schnee family dynamic. "Whatever that means."

"That's... nice of them?" Winter ventures, not entirely sure what to think of two of XCOMs premier pranksters having taken a vested interest in her.

Weiss rolls her eyes as the duo set about clearing and cleaning the table. "It will involve copious amounts of alcohol, plenty of attempts to embarrass or fluster you, and at least three additions to The List before they decide they have succeeded and move on." Winters face scrunches up with disdain "Though, maybe I should show them that video I got last night, they might be willing to play matchmaker for you."

"You will do no such thing!" Winter hotly exclaims as Weiss starts filling the sink to clean the dishes.

Weiss shrugs "If they decide to fix your love life, they probably won't spend so much time pestering you." Winter continues to grumble as the pair cleans up the kitchen, though Weiss ignores it mostly. After all, she knows she's prone to do the same thing when forced into something she'd rather not be part of.

Cleaning done, the duo amble into the living room, and Weiss starts going through her copy of Moira's bootleg Disney movie collection. After _Frozen_ , both women had a tub of ice cream set in front of them, and Weiss had the validation of Winter admitting that she normally ended up with the moniker 'Ice Queen' shortly after meeting new people as well. Still, Winter didn't want to watch it a second time, So Weiss moved on to the _Aristocats_. Her stick in the mud sister glanced sidelong at it throughout, constantly murmuring about Faunus Sensitivity training and immature animation. As Weiss was sat in front of the projector debating whether to show Winter Aladin or The Little Mermaid next, the elder schnee all but whines "Please, something other than a children's movie next Weiss. I understand you like them, and the music is certainly good, but..." She trails off, but the younger of the pair can hear the fed up 'ugh' without it being there.

Pondering, Weiss backs out of her Disney folder to some of the other movies she had moved over to her scroll during the month between the end of the Long War and getting back to Remnant. Eventually settles on showing her sister the Bourne series, though she does preface with "This is fiction too, but, compared to the other serialized spy movies from Earth it's probably the least unrealistic."

Winter is actually on the edge of her seat for the first two movies, through the delivery of pizza, and the opening of a decent bottle of Mistrali Red. Not the sort of vintage either Schnee is accustomed too, but good enough for a cover bottle in a safehouse. As the credits roll for _Bourne Ultimatum_ Winter asks "So, did the Alien invasion change the sort of entertainment they have on Earth?"

Weiss just shakes her head. "No, not really. The Long War was terrible, but to Earth it was just the most recent in a long string of terrible wars." She pauses to think, Blake being the most well read on Earth history of her team. "They have dozens of countries, and have had at least two equivalents to Remnants Great War. And more than a few even bloodier, if smaller scale, wars between the Second World War and when the Aliens first invaded." She chuckles "Wars such an integral part of Earth history that a lot of their music, art and films revolve around glorifying, depicting the horror of, or simply recounting it."

Winter takes a moment, before asking "I don't suppose you have anything on that in your little collection?"

Well, not part of her collection, but she had picked a few of the more historically accurate War movies for her attempt to convince Jacques to support XCOM. After all, more visceral and realistic examples of the sort of warfare the extra-planetary humans had trained for _before_ XCOM took them a step beyond could only help. Especially when at least three Earth countries had standing peace-time armies that could grind Atlas' army into dust. "The few I took with me are, graphic. Earth has spent a lot more time at war than Remnant, and it shows in their techniques and weapons."

After getting through _Saving Private Ryan_ with only a single pause after the D-Day scene, Winter asks for a break to take a walk through the brisk Atlas evening. Mostly, the two girls in old army jackets are ignored, though they do pause to listen to a busking guitarist for a few minutes outside a coffee shop. Winter shoots a glare at Weiss when the younger girl tosses a few lien in his case. Weiss next selection of _We Were Soldiers_ once they get back to the safehouse has Winter asking for more than a few pauses. After what would likely be their last movie of the swiftly aging night ends, Winter takes a deep breath and opines "I know I already put a foot in your camp reaching out to your... contact through you, but," She shakes her head "if they take the gloves off, Cinders people wont know what hit them, will they?"

Weiss shakes her head, before letting out a dry chuckle "On Earth they have a set of international laws on how to wage war, mostly because some weapons and practices are _too_ brutally effective at taking lives. Everything I've shown you in the last two flicks, hell, even my time with XCOM was them _staying within those laws_ "

Weiss freezes a bit as Winter reaches out and wraps her up in a hug. "I... I'd like to do this again, sometime. When our schedules allow for it." After leaning back into the hug for a while, Weiss just nods and hums an affirmative.

They close up the safe-house and ride the bus back to the lift to the upper class districts of Atlas in companionable silence. An SDC car is waiting for them there, and they spend their time in it putting their masks back on. Whitley and Jacques simply assume the two had been 'out on business' and don't even ask about their whereabouts over the weekend.

By the time Weiss wakes up the next morning, Winter had already left for Dr. Merlot's.


	15. Racer

A/N: This is a fun one that goes back to during the Long War. One of the great things about the RPG server that got started a while back is that it has the ability to delve deeper into the stories of characters who only had minor parts to play in RWBY Within. Derrick Biggs was a name I gave to a soldier whose only purpose was to die on RWBY's first op, which meant I gave him even _less_ backstory than his namesake from Star Wars had (at least Biggs Darklighter was friends with Luke on Tatooine). The RPG server, however, breathed enough life into his character that his death during RWBY's maiden op was a lot more heartbreaking. And so here we have Gryff's latest contribution to TftA that provides a little more flavor to the first set of dog tags that Ruby hung from her hip.

* * *

 **Title:** Racer

 **Author:** Gryffen

She shifted nervously in the open doorway, staring apprehensively at the sleek crimson motorcycle. She shouldn't be nervous, she told herself. She had every reason to be here and she held the recently neglected vehicle in the utmost respect. She had been given an open, if hesitant, invitation just after that last pool party. She even had the keys, for pity's sake!

Yang hugged herself a little tighter, grateful that no one was here to see her. Granted, the storage bays all had cameras. There were cameras almost everywhere in this base! However, that was different. It wasn't as if you could see anyone's reaction, and even if they were watching, those small screens couldn't show every detail. Right now, Yang was grateful for that personal knowledge.

That knowledge didn't help resolve the turmoil inside her, though.

With another restless sigh, Yang snatched out the keys to the red Yamaha R1 and dangled them in the half-light. They shined, still new, still taken care of. Just like Derrick's prized bike. Racer, he had called her. A simple name. A childlike name. It fit, though. Man, did it fit. Racer wasn't as robust or as powerful as Bumblebee, but once Derrick had gotten her out into the open road, MAN, she could haul ass. The speed was exhilarating. Yang almost never let herself be a passenger on someone else's bike anymore. She was the one in the driver's seat, baby! But that time snuggled tightly, hearing the engine howl out in full throttle and feeling the furious channel of wind tunneling around her made her heart skip and spread a smile of unbridled joy on her face. Even now, over a week later, her heart pounded and she couldn't help but smile with growing glee.

"It just wasn't right," she whispered.

That stupid mission. Yang knew it was war, and that even in so-called peace-time death just … strikes. Your best friend could be killed in an auto accident, or some freak storm could kill a cousin, or your moms could just … leave. So it wasn't that sudden-and-brutal death was a shock. And it wasn't just that someone so new to them was so quickly and unexpectedly killed on their very first, fracked-up mission! Though when Yang was honest with herself, which was more often than people knew, that shook her up as well. It was just that fast! And she saw it! She saw Derrick, lining up his aim with a confident grin, and then … and then … just like that!

But no. The real problem was that she wasn't sure how to feel. Derrick Biggs hadn't quite become a friend yet, but it was close. It was real close. In fact, she knew Derrick meant more to her than some of her childhood friends from before Signal. Oh, he was a dense flirt most of the time, but he was a good flirt, and just all-around fun. He was passionate about everything he did. Yes, he stared at her ass. And her breasts. Frankly, she rather enjoyed that to some degree. But he also looked her in the eyes and treated her as an equal, especially in the short time they got to know each other better. And let me tell you, that six-foot-four, two-hundred-and-who-knows-how-many-pounds of wonderfully sculpted and packed body-builder muscle was just as agile as he was built! Woof! That last night in the cavern course, Yang knew he was going way too fast to make that eighty-degree turn on his blades, so what did Derrick do? He popped some kind of funky gymnastic cartwheel and nimbly-rotate-on-one-hand handstand to flip over and land on his blades with barely a decrease in momentum!

Show off!

And Yang loved it. She still grinned at the memory. The quiet laugh that summoned itself to her throat turned bittersweet. Derrick promised to show her some of his sick moves that even she didn't know. But now that promise would never be fulfilled, just like all the other promises Derrick Biggs made.

Not that Yang was angry with Biggs. Nope! She was a realistic. She knew he'd keep his word to the end. It didn't take long to realize Biggs was just that kind of a guy. Honest to the core. He had plenty of reasons why he was that way, but mostly it was a wise and fun-loving practicality. Why waste time with deceit when you spend that time doing fun things instead?

Heh, Yang thought. It was a good note to consider right now. She smiled sadly and gazed on Racer with uneasy longing again.

What to feel about this, Yang wondered. Derrick Biggs was a good guy taken too soon. He hadn't made plans of what to do with his belongings since he was sure somehow he'd make it through. Even so, he hadn't been blind or thoughtless. Yang fingered the spare set of keys he had given her again. Racer was his baby, and while Derrick gleefully took out 'the honeys' for a ride, Yang knew it was a big deal to let someone else drive Racer. And to care for Racer? That meant even more.

That was actually one of the reasons why Derrick apprehensively handed over the keys to Yang. During their second-and-last drive, they talked shop. With the knowledge and passion they confided to each other, you couldn't fake that sort of thing.

"Awright," Derrick had said, trying not to grumble too much. "Fact is she could use another set of eyes and some more love. I know you're one to take care of her – REAL care of her. When I nearly lost my leg during Gangplank and got laid up for nearly three weeks, Racer just sat here."

"That's not good," Yang repeated aloud as the conversation played over in her mind.

"No, it's not. Baby needs keen eyes and love," Derrick said while strong, thick fingers dangled over shaking keys. He grinned, though. "And like I said that last time, she was made to taste the wind."

"Oh hell yes, she was," Yang agreed, sharing a grin and a laugh as she nimbly plucked up the spare keys to Racer. "How fast were we going? One-twenty? One-thirty?"

"Who cares?" Derrick had quipped, still grinning. "When 160 Annex is clear, baby wants to go! Who needs numbers when you're riding the wind with Racer?"

Yang laughed. Eyes twinkled, even a week later. 'You're right. Who does?"

Yang let herself laugh and let the warmth of that memory slowly fill her up. Oh Derrick.

"Hey, Racer," Yang finally spoke up. She methodically took the next few steps to stand close to the two-wheeled crimson beauty. "I know I'm not Biggs. He's gone now. I wish it wasn't so, but it is." Yang sadly sighed and ran a hand down the pitch-black seat. "I admit I'm kinda … nervous about this. Feels like I'm stealing somehow. I'm just trying to sort all this out. I KNOW Biggs wouldn't want you to sit idle. We could send you back to his family, and … and I think in time that's probably where you should go, but … even he said you'd just sit in a garage for months on end. And that's just not right. I can feel how much you like going full-throttle, baby. Heh. Something I know well are motorcycles."

Yang allowed herself a chuckle, then knelt down to give Racer a studious inspection. "You could use a good cleaning. You're nearly spotless, and the residue isn't too bad. Only a light film, really. Sooo … either I clean you now and call it a day, or I take you out for a drive that you deserve, then give you a good rubdown. Heh. I have a feeling you'd like to be out in the open road again. … Which by the way, this Arizona place is WILD. All that wide open space. All that dry and rugged landscape, and those paved roads just going and going. We don't have that in Remnant. Most people back in Vale wouldn't believe me if I told 'em! And not a single Grimm! Anywhere!"

"Talk about … freedom," Yang mused. Her eyes grew distant.

With a sigh, Yang stood up. She ran her gloved hands over the agreed-on motorcycle gear she promised to wear. Aura wasn't a thing here, so … yeah. Had to be more careful. It felt kind of confining to wear so much, but Yang wasn't an idiot. It wouldn't do to be bound up in Medical for weeks on end and leave poor Racer alone in the dark again.

"It just … it feels wrong somehow," Yang admitted to Racer. "Which is dumb since he gave me the spare keys. The SPARE keys. I just wish I could ask him."

Yang's eyes alighted. She tipped her head to one side. "Oh c'mon. Is it THAT simple?" She considered. "Is it?"

Mulling it over, Yang folded her arms, then nodded thoughtfully. "Hey, Biggs!" she asked aloud. "I know this is kinda strange and all, but … do you mind if I take Racer out? I admit it's for me as much as it is for you. Man, I get so cooped up in here, but you knew that, too. You told me so yourself!"

Yang chuckled, smiled softly, then shook her head as she wandered over to pick up the red helmet. "I promise – I'll take the utmost care of her. I'll treat her like my own. And so help me, I promise to drive her all the way to California. Ha! That'll be a good day, I assure you."

Yang suddenly tipped her head to the side, eyes twinkling in wonder. "You do? Really? Well … thanks! Yeah, I trust you, too! I won't let you down." With a contented smile, Yang nodded, carefully cliched the handles of Racer, and popped away the kickstand. It took her a while to walk Racer to one of the freight elevators, then there was the dull ride up. She didn't complain though. Yang had a purpose.

Once the doors of the freight elevator parted and Yang walked Racer closer to the outside door, the immediate PA perked to life. "Private Xaio-Long, may I ask what you are doing?"

"Going out for a half-hour ride," Yang cheerfully called back. "I've got permission! Code Alpha-three Rodger … uh … hold on. Let me remember the rest. Indigo Zeta Onion Alpha. … Man, you guys come up with the weirdest passcodes."

"Ha. So we do, Private," the PA operator admitted. "The kookier the passwords, the less likely the bad guys will figure them out. Anyway, yeah. You're cleared. Don't be late, though. REALLY don't be late."

"I gotcha," Yang bantered back. "I'll obey the curfew tonight, daaaaaad,"

"Don't sass your father," the PA quipped back. "And no riding with strange boys! Or riding with any boy, for that matter!"

"So have a threesome with girls while you watch," Yang shot back with a grin. "Gotcha."

"… Just get outta here," the PA operator snarked back. "Kids. I tell ya."

When the armored door parted wide, Yang smiled at the afternoon sun. Her heart thrilled. Yeah, this was going to be a good ride. As she grinned, a thought struck her. "Hey, Biggs. Screw what they said. Hop on! We're going for a ride."

With a whoop of glee, Yang yanked back on the throttle, and Racer shot out the doors like a rocket. In moments, she basked in the Arizona sun and soaked in the rippling wind that howled about her. "Yeah," she admitted quietly. "Racer was made to taste the wind. You hungry, girl? Because we've got thirty minutes, and I'm gonna make the most of them."

The next ten minutes were heaven. Though she nearly missed a small dirt road Derrick had pointed out the first time, she caught it in time. It wasn't just speed she promised herself. That first time Derrick had stopped at this rise above the highway where you could see for maybe as much as fifty miles, and just in time for a glorious sunset. It was about four o'clock right now, so no sunset this time, but Yang wasn't going to miss out on the view.

She deftly halted Racer, nimbly popped down the kickstand, then easily dismounted to walk the dozen steps to the edge. "Beautiful," she admitted. "I want to go home, but … even as crazy as this world is, it's a lot to love."

Yang watched the world in silence, just smiling and taking in the moment of relative peace. More thoughts came to her. Maybe promises wouldn't be broken after all.

"You know what, Biggs? I decided something," Yang openly confided to the sky. "I'm going to do it. After this war is done, I'm driving to California. I'll take Racer back to your home. I … I kinda hope I get to keep Racer for myself – hey, I admit it. But either way, Racer's going back where she belongs, and for now, I'll give her all the love she deserves."

"As for Cali, as you called it?" Yang hunched down to run her gloved hand over the rugged bark of a scruffy tree. "I'm going to find out if I'm a Cali-girl or not. I wrote down all those places you told me about. Santa Barbara, Solvang, Carmel-by-the-Sea. I'm definitely going to drive up PCH, whatever that is. Take PCH to go to Black Beach, you said? You got it! I'm sorry it turned out like it did. You're a good guy, Biggs. And I won't let you down. I promise."

Yang rocketed Racer back just in the last minute before breaking the thirty-minute curfew. She tossed a cheeky wink to security before she towed Racer to one of the maintenance bays and gave her a good tune-up. Racer deserved it.

It was about an hour later when Yang respectfully stored Racer back where she had find the crimson beauty earlier.

"That was good. I have GOT to do that again." Yang giggled slyly and patted the motorcycle seat one more time. "See ya, Racer. And see, Biggs? I told ya! I'll take good care of her."

Yang merrily sauntered away, even playfully tossed the keys up in the air to catch them. She halted at the doorway, though, turning back to send one more bittersweet look of longing back to Racer. A lump caught in her throat.

"…. Thanks, Derrick. You're a good guy."

Yang turned off the lights and left. In the half-light, Racer patiently waited for the next time Yang would bring her back to live in the light and taste the wind again.


	16. Bad Dreams, Breakfast, and Billy Joel

A/N: Got another submission by Gryff, which he requested that I post at this time. The RPG server just finished its biggest event to date, the Base Defense, and I was asked to post this shortly after its conclusion.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **Title:** Bad Dreams, Breakfast, and Billy Joel

 **Author:** Gryffen

As an adult, footsteps in the dead of night always felt heavy. It wasn't like when he was a child and the cover of night meant the thrilling games of hide-and-seek and other such challenges of wit and excitement. While it was true he had come from a rather affluent family and thus had expectations on him from the moment he could walk, even he gained a small, but true band of friends who smuggled themselves out late at night. How they reveled in the hushed whispers and the joyous rush of adrenalin that came from pretend danger coupled with actual contests of wit and skill. Some of those friends were still alive today.

No, Ghira bitterly mused. The more years he had gained, the more such pleasures had vanished like morning mist until sometimes he wondered if it was just a dream. Merry nights of lightfooted, playful skulking were gone. He recalled someone telling him that with much knowledge comes much sorrow. He couldn't remember who told him that, for the life of him. As massive and mighty as Ghira Belladonna was, all who knew him well enough conceded he could prowl and stalk with prime efficiency if he needed to.

And yet his steps felt heavy.

In fact, while Kuo Kuana was celebrating one of its greatest victories in decades, Ghira's feet pondered sluggishly and his spine felt like it was full of lead. His heart? That was the strangest part. A peace warmed his heart that he hadn't felt in two years. It was a peace coupled with utter gratitude. He loved it. At the same time, that comforting relief smeared with the murk of worlds slowly going completely mad.

That was one of the deepest truths he wrestled with tonight. Worlds. The worlds were crashing brutally into each other, and destiny was demanding an irrevocable payment.

The idea of 'worlds' was foreign to the people of Remnant. Human, faunas, and apparently other beings who lived on Remnant – it didn't matter. The concept of leaving Remnant wasn't even a daydream. It was nothing. The thought had never even existed in his brain until his beloved daughter had humbly trudged back into his life and proved there was life beyond the stars. Wounded and permanently disfigured, the revelation of what Blake had endured still railed on his soul, and yet she cared more about the well-being of two worlds instead of herself. Somehow, she had grown stronger and empathic than before. Though haunted and struggling, Blake now held an assurance and acceptance she didn't have two years ago – three years ago. And it all happened on another world.

It all happened on another _world._

Blake had lived an extra year, and she had done so on another _world_.

Ghira had originally processed that knowledge somehow. After the events of the past two days, though, Ghira found he had to confront that all over again. Worse, that mental hurdle was not alone. Now it wasn't just the realization that Remnant was not the sum totality of existence, and it wasn't that his daughter and her three closest friends had tumbled through the essence of space and time until they were catapulted into a distant realm so far away he would have _never_ seen them again. No, what truly harrowed him to the core was that he realized the worlds now collided into each other just when each faced a pivotal moment in time. Their impact would do more than irrevocably change their respective histories. It could very likely shatter both worlds beyond hope of recovery.

Was that too dramatic of him to think that way? His heart told him no. Ghira had been a practical man for decades. While clearly a warrior when he needed to be, he had sworn to always see the logical and pragmatic paths of thought. It was his adherence to unmitigated logic which unnerved him most. This was not happenstance. There were too many coincidences. While whatever forces behind Advent had clearly targeted XCOM with animosity, their reactions belayed that Advent had only recently detected XCOM, and not that they had previous knowledge. They certainly didn't understand the true nature of XCOM. Had Advent known about the existence of an other-worldly force, they would have unleashed their full might and snuffed the trespassers out of existence.

Likewise, while XCOM's world had triumphed over their greatest invasion yet, Ghira knew from personal experience that the moments after victory were unquestionably times when success could be shattered.

Now this XCOM was stranded here in Remnant, much like Blake and her friends had been in XCOM's world. Granted, XCOM had more resources to draw on than his daughter and her friends did on their own arrival, but it was clear the situations mirrored each other. Cut off, outnumbered, limited sources, and no apparent way back, they were desperate yet determined. This seemingly meager force of a little more than a hundred now wormed themselves so deeply into Remnant that the roots of their existence could never be erased. Another exaggeration? No, Ghira knew. Sienna Khan had begrudgingly agreed with him that XCOM had earned the right to establish an embassy here in Kuo Kuana. While most of Remnant would not see that as monumental since that embassy was 'only to the Faunas,' that landmark decision had been broadcast to the world. There was no going back now.

More importantly, seeing XCOM's prowess, determination, and most of all their compassion to all first-hand, Ghira admitted to himself that ultimately Remnant needed XCOM. He was also certain that if both worlds survived this present crucible, XCOM's Earth would likely need Remnant as well.

By the Brothers, this was so overwhelming. It gnawed on his soul. XCOM, Advent, Earth, aliens, Vipers, Maidens, war-torn Vale.

His daughter.

How could she even accept the rest of her life with four metal limbs!

Because she had to, he told himself. Just like others who had to rebalance their lives due to permanent injury, Blake had implemented the new changes until they were her new 'normal.' The thought broke his heart every time. As grateful as he was to have her back, he wondered if he could ever fully accept the damage done to her.

That's why his heavy feet quietly plod their way to his daughter's current room. True, security was out in full force and the usurper cell had been exposed, but that hardly meant every last threat had been expunged. After all, too many times after success, the victors had let the guard down. Ghira had used that folly to his advantage several times, in fact.

He wasn't going to intrude on her. He was going to walk by and make sure she was sound asleep. As well as her companion. That part still bothered him. He let Kali have her way, and overall Kali was an excellent judge of character, but even she wasn't infallible. She had thought the best of Adam Taurus until the last two years. And right now the two of them were sharing the same bed. Ghira wasn't blind to the way Yang Xaio-Long had looked at his daughter, nor how they held each other far closer than friends did.

No, he wasn't angry. No, he wasn't going to forbid anything. However, they were both admittedly still teenagers, and from personal observation, early physical relationships usually didn't end well. Granted, he couldn't say if what bond they had between them was physical or not, but he was her father, and especially after screwing up once, he had concerns. The fact of that matter is he liked Yang as well, too. No matter what, she had been there for Blake in a way no one else could, so he couldn't help but hold a share of gratitude and hope for Yang. Just … could they hold off a bit? He wasn't asking much.

He passed by a few silent guards who gave him tight, devoted nods. Ghira returned the nods gratefully and continued on. Only about fifty yards more.

Seconds later, his heart froze. His ears perked up. On the edge of sound, Blake's sleepy breath started to hiss. Muted moans pushed their way out of his daughter's pressed lips in tiny, suppressed whimpers.

Ghira recognized that tone. It wasn't just discomfort. It was nightmares, terrors born from something real. Considering the gore and atrocities Blake had witnessed, whatever her subconscious mind had summoned against her was clearly coiling about her thoughts with malicious intensity. The frequency and the rising tone of Blake's tiny voice confirmed that, doubled even more with the increase of urgency in her subconscious plea.

Ghira hurried.

He still had a dozen paces to go to reach Blake's door when he heard the assured shifting of covers. "Blake?" Yang's soft voice called out for his daughter. Ghira could imagine Yang's metal hand on his daughter's shoulder and her face probably inches away from Blake's ear.

"Blake? … Blake?" Yang quietly, sincerely urged. "Come on, sweetie. Whatever you're seeing, whatever you're feeling, it's not real."

Another careful rustling of covers. Ghira was only seconds away.

Blake mewed fearfully again. Ghira could hear her cringe and shiver.

"Blake? Blake," Yang deeply consoled. "I'm right here. Follow my voice. It's just like the other times. It's not real. They just want you to think that. I'm real. I'm right here. You're in bed in your parents' home."

Somehow that was not the thing to say. Her voice still sealed inside her clinched lips, Blake keened out a stifled wail of horror and grief.

"Blake?" Yang's voice fervently hissed. Ghira was at the door. He felt as much as heard the pause in Yang's voice when the blonde brawler firmly shifted the tone of her whispers somehow. "Sabertooth. Sabertooth. Come in, Sabertooth," Yang whispered out firmly, somehow assured in the strange words she used.

Sabertooth? What did that even mean!

"Eight-three, this is Four, callin' atcha," Yang started to add a drawl into her voice as Blake continued to desperately whimper. "BFG to Sabertooth, drop and roll, little kitty. It's another one of those funky Mass Panics those numbnuts toss us. Just trust us. Vance has got a bead on 'em, ya here? Just need you to drop and give him a clear LOS! B'sides, you know I couldn't resist my kitty getting down on the floor, am I right?"

Guest or not, Ghira's eye blared and his mouth pressed into a disgusted scowl. He said THAT to his daughter? Oh no! There was going to be hell to pay! Ghira clamped his hand on the knob and was about to fling open the door when he heard Blake gasp out openly in shock and fear as she clearly pierced through the night terror and burst back into the realm of the awakened.

"Wha-where-how-who? … Yang?" Blake panted.

"… hey!" Yang's tender voice soothed. There was a pause. "Glad to have you back, Sabertooth."

Ghira heard the telltale sounds of Blake surging forward to clutch Yang into a desperate hug. Tiny whimpers sobbed freely into Yang's shoulder while Yang murmured assurances into Blake's ear.

"Shhh. It's all right, Blake," Yang soothed. "It's all right. And it IS all right. We're back in your parents' home. We beat the Gigas. We beat the Ethereals. We made it home. Doesn't mean life's gonna be smooth sailing from here, but it's all right. It's all right. … We're home."

"You called me back," Blake sniffled.

Ghira halted at the door with his hand on the knob to pull free the handle if needs be.

"You know I would," Yang drawled.

"You used Sabertooth this time. And Vance?"

"Heh, Vance was a longshot, but … it was the best I could think of," Yang casually admitted. "I could tell you were back in the Long War again. I thought … you know, something more familiar and happier, but real would snap you out. So I thought … maybe something earlier? Not so painful? Especially after…"

"Yeah, I'd rather not think about it."

Ghira heard Yang choke up. "… me, too."

More shivering. More consoling caresses. Ghira was torn between gently stepping in and admitting her heard Blake's cry, and stepping away and giving them their deserved privacy.

At the same time … so many questions. Sabertooth?

'I still can't believe they're all gone," Blake choked out in a swallow. "There's so many. Most of all, I keep thinking about him. I was so … unsure what to think about him at the time. I knew he was sincere, but … I was so used to all the other humans. I couldn't believe he was truly sincere or that he could help. We only talked a few times. … And when they got into our base. When he …" Blake choked up. "He was always in the base! I thought he'd always be safe! I should have trusted him more. I should've talked to him more."

"Shhh," Yang soothed again. "They wouldn't want us to wallow in the past. Heh. The doc in particular would want us to go on, hold on to each other, and make the most of it."

Ghira heard Blake's guilty sniffles again. "… Yeah. They would. It's why I'm thinking of him lately. I thought I was fine. But ever since Amity … I'm just so scared. I shouldn't be, but I am. We … we beat all of this before…"

"PTSD is 'Post' for a reason, Blake."

Blake continued on without missing a beat. "It's just … the sudden attack. My home. So helpless. … Getting bound up again, even for a moment."

"It's OK, Blake," Yang assured. "It is."

Both were silent for a moment. Ghira almost turned to leave.

"Speaking of the docs, I think they'd … want us to talk about it," Yang gently pressed. "You don't have to go into detail, but … it's eating you up, Blake. You're my partner. I'm here for you. Please."

"… I know," Blake choked out. " …. And you're right. Just … give me a moment, all right?"

From inside the room, another heavy rustle of blankets could be heard, signifying another desperate hug.

Ghira listened as Blake fought to steady her racing breath. "It was the Chryssalids," she admitted in a tiny voice. Ghira furrowed his brows.

"… Site Recon," Yang grunted out in understanding.

"Yeah," Blake choked out. "… but it was worse. They got you. They got ALL of you." Blake hiccupped a sob. She sniffled more while Ghira could hear Yang carefully stroke his daughter's shoulders. "Deep inside, I knew somehow it had to be a dream, but it was so real. And it was so horrible."

"We got through that, Blake," Yang tenderly consoled one more time. "We'll get through it again. Even with a queen, they're just mindless bugs.'

"But that's just it!" Blake yelped out, then quickly caught herself. How Ghira didn't tear open the door or flee, he wasn't sure.

"I know it shouldn't make sense, but the Ethereals were there this time," Blake sputtered out. As she spoke, her voice grew more desperate, more fervent. Just what had they faced! "They caught us! Caught all of us! They took us away, and it was like Annette, and Lola, and the others in those damn experiments! They were ripping us all apart, but keeping us alive! Implanting us! Harvesting us! I pleaded over and over again to just kill me! Just to make it stop!"

"It was a dream, Blake," Yang tried to soothe. Ghira could hear the uncertain tension in Yang's voice. "A bad dream. They're gone now. We won."

"But they got you and Ruby!" Blake sobbed, openly hysterical. "They tore Weiss and Vahlen apart! They just slowly tore them apart, making them scream! Somehow they had Ilia and Mom there, too! And I couldn't stop it! I couldn't stop any of it! They just pinned my arms and legs down, spit in my face, and made me watch!'

What?

"Blake, listen to me," Yang began to assure.

"But we're trapped again, and who knows what Cinder's forces have come up with!" Blake rambled.

"We'll face it," Yang assured. "Together."

"But what if they get you!" Blake sobbed again. "You can't promise something like that can't happen! You know what we saw! There's so much out there! They can tear apart our bodies, but keep us alive! They can remake our _minds_!"

"Then listen good, Blake," Yang's firm voice declared in assurance. "Even if something like that were to happen to me, then especially if it save you, or Weiss, or Ruby – and especially all three of you – hell, anyone I care about – it's worth it."

"But—"

"We're not as blind as we used to be," Yang pressed on. "Heh, we now realize we don't know jack-shit about what's out there. We don't even know about this galaxy we share, and there are galaxies beyond that. We don't even really know our own worlds."

"They can control our very minds!"

"But I do know no matter how wicked evil is, no matter how grotesque the crime, they can't win forever," Yang devotedly pressed on. "And no matter what, they can't take _everything_ from us. They can't. So if you ever doubt or fear, just remember that I know just how wonderful a person you are, and how humble and grateful I am to even be your friend. You're worth it, Blake. And even if the stars are blown out of the skies, part of what we do will matter. There's always a remnant."

Ghira didn't understand the reference, though he was certain it wasn't referring to their homeworld. However, it made Blake laugh quietly within her sobs. "There's always a remnant," she conceded. Ghira swore he could hear the bittersweet smile.

His fingers slowly unclenched the doorknob.

"I love you, Yang," he heard his daughter tightly whisper. "Thank you for being my friend."

"Always, Blake," Yang whispered fervently back. "Always. To the bitter end if needs be. Heh. Besides, you'll return the favor within a week."

Blake nervously chuckled. "We seem to trade off on waking each other up from bad dreams, don't we."

"That we do, partner," Yang drawled. "We'll have each other's backs, no matter how insane it all gets."

"No matter how life changes," Blake quietly mused, now with a hint of her usual acerbic humor.

Though a pang of guilt slithered in his chest, Ghira felt the gratitude in his heart swell more firmly again. No, he wasn't thrilled about the situation, but … well, he had to admit Yang once again proved to be who Blake needed at just the right time. He may disagree with many things, but he would take his gratitude toward the rambunctious Yang Xaio-Long to the grave.

What came next would burn into his brain so sweetly, yet so firmly, Ghira knew he'd never forget it, even if had lost half is mind and was on death's door.

"Is there …" Blake quietly mused as she snuggled back against the covers. "Anything else you want to add? You almost always have something more to say."

It started with a soft, sly giggle, and then … and then the girl named Yang started to gently sing. Ghira had never heard the pleasant tune before. While Yang's rough voice wasn't the most melodic, coupled with her playful sincerity and the words she gently sang, they stirred something unfamiliar and new. The lyrics seemed simple at first, but they touched the soul.

"Don't go changing…!

To try and please me…

You've never let me down before…"

"Yang…" Blake drawled reprovingly.

Yang continued to hum-sing, "MmmMMmm."

"Don't imagine…," Yang slyly drawled while she continued to gently sing. "… you're too familiar!

And I don't see you anymore."

Blake quietly groaned, but she clearly made no effort to stop Yang.

Ghira felt the right corner of his mouth crinkle upwards at that. Those words and the words that followed were everything he felt about Kali.

"I wouldn't leave you …

in times of trouble …

We never could have come this far."

Ghira found himself quietly captivated. Even alone with only her rough voice, Yang merrily mewed on singing, even starting off with a silly, "MmmMMmm."

"I took the good times;

I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are!"

Ghira smiled when Blake unknowingly chuckled softly for him.

The words Yang sang next in the lovely melody were playfully delivered in a tone to tease his daughter. Ghira found himself still smiling.

"Don't go trying…

some new fashion.

Don't change the color of your hair."

"Yang…!" Blake drawled.

Ghira definitely shook his head at that.

"You always have my…

unspoken passion!"

The humor in Yang's voice bled out to reveal her plea of sincerity.

"And don't you think that I don't care!"

Ghira had to swallow at that part.

Yang recaptured some of her playful teasing.

"I don't want clever…!

Conversation.

…I never want to work that hard."

"Yang!" Blake growled quietly, clearly bemused.

The playful joy in the lyrics evaporated completely. In their place echoed a haunted, almost child-like honesty. No longer quite signing, Yang's words choked up in her throat.

"I just want someone that I can talk to."

"… I love you just the way you are."

In the quiet of the night, Ghira heard Blake and Yang clutch on to each other like the lifelines they had become.

"I love you, Yang," Blake fervently whispered.

"I love you, too, Blake," Yang choked out. "I love you so much."

Ghira quietly padded off, letting the two young women face their own demons together. He hadn't gone far when he heard Yang wryly admonished, "Now get back to sleep. Bad enough we both have TWO meetings tomorrow, not to mention another checkup with Valhen."

"Neither one of us minds Dr. Vahlen, Yang."

"Shh," Yang teased. "Sleep. For both of us."

"Heh, technically, I outrank you, you know," Blake quietly countered.

"Not right now," Yang breathed. "Now back to sleep."

Then …

"Good night, Blake."

"Good night, Yang."

Ghira roamed back to his bedroom. Quietly opening the door and closing it behind him, his solemn eyes took in the vision that was his wife snuggled into her side of their bed. He told himself he was going to make sure not to disturb her sleep, but just as he touched the mattress, Kali carefully looked over her shoulder to gaze on him. Neither one of them had to speak. They already knew.

Ghira gently slid under the covers and tenderly wrapped his beloved wife into his arms just as she curled up longingly into him. They stayed that way until they drifted off to sleep, much like Yang and his daughter likely had done just now, he mused.

* * *

While Ghira made it a point to spend proper dining every day in one of the dining rooms, he conceded long ago with Kali that breakfast with the family in the kitchen was just fine. They agreed that the warmer, more personal area right in the view of the morning sunshine began the day with the right message. Even during days of stormy rain, father, mother, and daughter shared the start of the day gazing out on the beauty that is the world which reminded them of everything they lived for. Family, friends, the joy of life itself, and endless possibilities. Even in the darkest times when Ghira and Kali dined alone, Ghira found a measure of solace at the kitchen's breakfast table.

Today was lovely. It seemed even nature realized the victory achieved just the few nights ago. That was probably not too far off, Ghira realized. After all, Grimm hunted other living creatures. While the Grimm were fueled with their insatiable hatred of humanity, they mauled any living thing when the desire struck them.

With the warm sunlight pouring in and Kali positively glowing with grateful joy, Ghira shelved his concerns for now. With a quiet smile and a nod, he accepted the tray of warm sweetrolls and biscuits. His and Kali's bright eyes caught. There was a smile. His heart skipped another beat, and he nodded before they finished setting the table.

While he suspected Yang could be the kind to sleep in late if allowed, thankfully his daughter clearly adhered to self-discipline. Ghira shared a wry smile with Kali when they both overheard their mild banter drifting closer.

"Are you sure I'm invited?" Yang's distant voice echoed. "You said breakfast was special for your family, and your mom confirmed that the other night."

"You're one of our personal guests," Blake intoned. "It's clear Dad isn't … well …thrilled we're sharing a room, but I can tell he respects you. Mom's crazy about you." The shrug wasn't seen or heard, but Ghira felt it. "You're invited."

Ghira gladly held out a chair for Kali to be seated, and they both waited until Yang and Blake entered into the kitchen. Blake's eyes flickered at the small feast, but hide her reaction well. Admittedly this wasn't the first time the Belladonna's had held a large breakfast for close friends.

Yang's lavender eyes, however, openly bulged for a moment. "Whoa."

"You're welcome, dear," Kali gushed. She sweetly swept her arms open and beckoned for the table. "Please! Come join us."

Once the girls moved in, Kali glanced up to send a loving wink to her husband and graciously let herself be seated. With a muffled chuckle, Ghira easily sat next to her.

A concealed giggle from Yang caught his attention. "You were right," Yang drawled in a whisper to Blake. "Your mom is a _lot_ like Mrs. Durand. Those two are gonna get along _just fine_."

"Shh," Blake whispered back. "And yeah. We've got those two together ASAP."

"Whispers at the table, dear?" Kali sweetly teased. "We taught you better than that."

Blake's ears drooped. "Yes, mom."

"Oh, Blake," Kali quietly added. "I'm so sorry. I only meant to make you smile, dear love. Please forgive your mother. I'm just so happy you're home, even if only for a while."

"Your mother's right," Ghira did his best to kindly assure. "Yes, we did our best to teach manners, but we hoped we taught compassion and companionship more." He easily offered a plate of eggs and cheeses. "Please eat up. Enjoy. We're glad you are here. That goes for both of you."

Blake's eyes and ears perked carefully. In contrast, Yang split wide a cheesy grin. "Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Belladonna! I won't lie. I'm still kinda surprised you let me stay. I mean, after all the Avenger is still here and all. It's cool to be in your home, but – wow! Talk about staying with royalty."

"Nobility, my dear, and you are welcome here, too," Kali sweetly assured. "Nobility is in the soul, and you have plenty of that." When Yang grinned even more, Kali added with a cheeky wink, "I could teach you any and all etiquette if you'd ever like! With me, it would be fun!"

"Oh yeah, she's _definitely_ like Mrs. Durand."

"If I may, that's the second time you two have mentioned that name," Kali diplomatically asked, beating Ghira to the punch, to which he was grateful. "May I ask who that is?"

'Yeah! You know Annette?" Yang happily explained. "The brunette officer woman with the funny purring accent, powers like a Huntress, and … well … if you saw the footage of the Gigas fight, you saw a woman tossing out some wicked-cool purple powers."

"I saw the footage," Ghira honestly answered. "As did Kali, Sienna Khan, and a few select others. By request of your Commander Bradford, we're doing to best to keep that information classified for now."

"It might a little harder to hide," Blake commented quietly. "She built that large, collective statue in the town square during last night's festival. She called it a 'magic trick,' so it should help buy some time, but it won't take long before someone will realize what's happened."

"So that's Mrs. Durand?" Kali kindly tried to steer the conversation.

"Heh, no, actually Mrs. Karin Durand is Annette's mom," Yang cheerfully told them. "Annette … she was hard to get along with at first. Got me REAL angry, if I can be completely honest. Funny thing, though, all the base raved about how cool her mom was, and how she was getting treated in some … hospital far away, but she was always there for any of us to call and talk to. And man, once we got started, she was super cool."

"Meeting her in person was far better," Blake admitted. Ghira found himself noticing a faint, but deep blush from his daughter when she mentioned this Karin Durand. He sent a small amused smile and was rewarded with his daughter blushing even more.

"It's true," Blake murmured as she tried to hide her momentary discomfort by spreading jam on a roll. "She's really gracious. She's stylish, wise, easy to talk to once you let it happen." Blake couldn't completely hide a tiny smile. "She's also quick witted and loves to embarrass certain people."

"Namely her daughter!" Yang chirped in glee.

"Which helped a lot," Blake sheepishly admitted.

Kali grinned. "I'll have to meet her," she agreed. "Since meeting her is on the agenda, then let's do all we can to make that happen. That means _you_ two do your part, and that means having your strength up. So eat up! Have a good breakfast and rest up. You have a big day today!"

Fifteen minutes later, all four platters had half their fare sampled away, the sweetrolls had been devoured completely – Yang having a sweet-tooth was no surprise to Ghira – and the mood was much brighter. Blake casually informed what was to be the day's schedule, some of which Ghira and Kali would be personally attending to, as well. His daughter's face held that tiny smile she once had long ago.

As much as Ghira was enjoying this moment, his hands and his feet felt heavy again. In Kali's embrace, he found enough sleep last night, but his mind woke up restless. He glanced over to Kali. His wife returned back a small nod. He had brought his thoughts to her not long after they woke up. He hadn't told her everything. He didn't need to. He didn't want to. With Kali's sound advice, Ghira had made a choice. Now he just needed to work up the nerve to say it.

"Blake?" he gently asked. His tone caught her eyes. He turned to look on Yang. "Yang," he addressed as well in the same tone.

Yang's eyes shot up. Both girls shared a look. "Yes, Mr. Belladonna?" Yang asked respectfully.

"I have a small confession to make, as well an apology to ask," he told them honestly. Both girls shot another quick glance. "Blake, you know that I've been known to walk our halls late at night when something's troubling me. As much as the battle was a major victory a few nights ago, I can't help but be concerned. You're both military now. You can already understand some of the reasons why."

Both Blake and Yang gave a solemn nod. He could tell they understood.

Ghira fold his fingers together and allowed a small sigh. "Blake? Last night I overheard you starting to call out in your sleep."

Yang's eyes opened a little wider in alarm. That gave Ghira pause, but it was Blake deflating in dismay that broke his heart. Ghira quickly held up a hand.

"You don't have anything to be ashamed or any reason to be alarmed," he assured them. "If anything, I hope I haven't broken your trust in me. I overheard, I was concerned, but thankfully before I could get there, Yang … took care of everything. I wanted to let you know, and I wanted to thank you. Miss Xaio-Long, thank you for being there for my daughter."

Blake swallowed while Yang managed a meager, nervous smile. "You're welcome, Mr. Belladonna," she answered graciously.

"You are welcome, Yang," Kali kindly added. "From both of us, thank you."

An awkward silence pervaded. Blake kept her gaze down. When she cautiously glanced back up, she timidly asked. "Dad? … How much did you hear?"

Ghira took a deep breath and shared a look with Kali.

"From the moment you cried out until you told each other good night, everything," he gravely admitted.

Yang's metal hand found Blake's. Tense looks tight on their faces, they deeply squeezed each other's artificial hand.

Ghira heaved a heavy-hearted sigh. "I sincerely apologize," he quietly told them. "It was never my intention to feel upset or ashamed."

"It's not that, dad," Blake managed to admit. Her arms shivered. "Really … the things we … Dad, I …"

"We know you're adults, we know you're older and have been through a hell of a lot more than us, but some of the … things we've seen in this war? It's bad," Yang nervously explained for Blake. "Some of it's the stuff of nightmares."

"So I've seen," Ghira dejectedly said.

Everyone glanced down.

"I wouldn't ask right now, but is there any chance that sometime in the future you could tell us more?" Ghira gently pleaded. "You don't need to face this alone." A thought struck him. "Besides, I believe much of it has to do with that one mission in particular you told us about. Site Recon, you called it? The mission to New … Foundland?"

Both girls looked up, stricken. They nodded.

"Then I only ask that someday when you believe all of us can handle it, you will tell us more about that," Ghira gently offered. When skeptical looks started to glint in both girls's eyes, Ghira pressed, "Your doctor friend? Not Dr. Vahlen, but then one you spoke of last night. Whatever happened, you think so highly of him that you wouldn't seal away what was on your heart. It helped both of you last night."

Blake and Yang shared contrite looks at each other.

"If he helped you that much, and his advice means that much to you, do you think he would recommend keeping this to yourselves forever?"

"Yes, but …. We'll need time, dad," Blake timidly offered.

"And some things, I'm sorry, but we're not going to speak of," Yang regretfully informed. "Yes, it's that bad."

"We can imagine," Kali intoned for both the Belladonna parents.

Silence hung in the air again.

"We'll gladly accept that then," Ghira graciously told them.

Blake nodded, then hesitated. She shoulders bristled, then she took a deep breath and looked her father directly in the eye. "While we're talking openly about things, Mom, Dad, there's something we need to discuss."

"Oh?" he asked carefully. "What is it Blake?"

"It's about Yang and I," Blake announced with a measure of open trepidation.

Oh boy. He was expecting this, but … well … he'd do his best to respect their wishes. A cautious glance at Kali told him she was sympathetic to everyone here, and quietly encouraged him with a tiny nod.

"You don't need to explain things if you don't want to, Blake. The same goes for you, Yang," Ghira decided to answer graciously. "Yes, I'm your father. And I'm … I'm truly concerned for what's best for you, and not just what I think is best for you—"

"Then, Dad, let me clarify something," Blake gently interrupted. "Forgive me for jumping in, but I think Yang and I can resolve things easily."

With a deep look with Yang, Blake gently slipped her metal left hand over to Yang. Unsurprisingly, Yang took it. What did surprise Ghira was that Yang didn't hold Blake's hand possessively or even romantically. Yang comforted Blake's offered hand with both hands, completely like a sister would.

"We're not sexually involved," Blake said after swallowing tightly. She swallowed again, and Ghira found himself actually a little more tense about this. Or maybe it was confusion.

Blake picked up on her father's apprehension as well Kali's silent supportiveness, and pressed on as best she could to explain.

"We've talked about it. And yes, I know this is a bit awkward, and most people would think this isn't something to discuss like this, but I think we should. Mom, Dad. I love you. And I do trust you. So I'm … we … are trusting you with this."

Yang looked over solemnly with Blake and gave Blake's hand a comforting squeeze.

"We're partners," Blake declared. "It doesn't mean we're lovers. Maybe we'll become intimate. Maybe we won't. We've agreed to not rush that and just … see how it plays out. But one thing is certain, we can't live without each other now. We've gone through too much."

"Yes, we sleep in the same bed if at all possible," Blake admitted with another heavy sigh. "We have to. Dad, you heard last night. That happens several times a week. Sometimes every night for weeks on end."

Ghira couldn't help but wince. His heart broke. He saw Kali holding back tears and struggling not to rise up and gather Blake into another hug.

"But we've found that … being this close, we can sense when each other is starting to have bad dreams. And even night terrors." Blake drew another breath and looked gratefully at Yang. "We get each other out before it gets too bad."

"There's a practical side of sleeping in the same bed. We make sure we … don't wake the others," Yang diplomatically added. "But yeah, we're in this together for … well … for as long as we live. Heh. Maybe we'll marry each other. Maybe we'll marry someone else. Either way, whoever we end up with, they'll have to accept having both of us in their lives."

"Dad?" Blake gently asked. "It's a lot like what … what you told about you and Sienna Khan, holding on to each other and sleeping side by side in the same foxhole."

Ghira nodded sagely and with a heavy heart. "Sienna and I and the others fought so hard in a war hoping our children would never be in one."

Yang bittersweetly shrugged. "After what we've seen, yeah. We understand. But we can't run away from evil and hope it'll go away, can we."

"I suppose not."

Blake nodded again and swallowed down her nervousness, though Ghira could tell his daughter was more at ease. "Is there anything else about Yang and I you would like to know?"

"No," he said simply. "I _am_ curious about some other things, though," Ghira offered with a hint of hope. Gratitude fluttered in his heart when both girls looked cautiously up. "There were several references last night that caught my attention, strange things that meant little to me, but apparently mean a lot to you. Sabertooth?"

Blake blushed tightly, but Yang's face split wide into a wide grin. "Ooooh, that," she drawled. "Uh … you know how soldiers and warriors when they get to a certain point in life they pick up … well, warnames? It's a big deal in XCOM. You have to be there a while and earn one, but once you do, it means a lot."

"A lot of them are rather silly," Blake's soft voice guardedly stated. "And some sources of origin aren't exactly … kind."

"They insult each other?"

"Not exactly," Yang supplied. She awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "At the same time, in a strange way, all the names are fitting."

"Considering that Macauley came up with all of them and he was drunk most times he did so?" Blake dully questioned.

"Ah ah ah!" Yang countered happily with a wagging finger. "Mac only came up with about half! Besides, except for maybe one or two nicknames, I can point out how they all fit!"

"Swan?" Blake deadpanned.

"Jorge ran out to the lake and punched a swan on a bet."

"He did WHAT?!" Kali yelled.

Ghira only blinked, but had to agree with his wife.

The girls didn't seem to notice.

"Gopher?" Blade dully countered again.

"Luigi tunneled through at least seven feet of snow and had to dig his way up," Yang supplied merrily. "He even popped his head out like a gopher."

"Caboose?"

"Oh, come ON!" Yang knowingly yelped. "That's too easy! It's from that show, the one with the initially dumb soldiers. Massey and his grenades!" Yang paused to deadpan, "'That … was the worst throw ever. Of all time.'"

"Sgt. Massey never used the excuse that someone put a wall in his way," Blake retorted, arms folded.

"That we know of!" Yang firmly corrected. "And don't forget he was the one who 'greeted' us with a rocket launcher! Indoors!"

Ghira and Kali shared a wide-eyed, stupefied look of horror.

Blake flatly ignored that. "Nessie?"

"Oh, come on," Yang drawled. "You're the history and culture nut. You know that Martha came from Scotland, and that's probably their biggest mythical beast."

"Broadside?"

"Because at first Arthur couldn't hit the broadside of a barn," Yang gleefully quipped. She added with a kinder smile. 'Of course, later on that meant when he let loose, woooooboy! Don't tell him I admit he can give me a run for my money sometimes."

"How generous of you," Blake deadpanned. "Besides, didn't you say the same of Sarah?"

"Hey! Ripley. Kicks. Ass! She punched a Chryssalid Queen!"

"This still doesn't explain why Sabertooth means something to _you_ ," Ghira stressed, trying to find some sanity to this current topic.

"Oh, er …" Yang caught herself. "Well! Sabertooths are a really big kind of tiger. Alpha predator cats."

"They came up with a name to point out my feline faunas nature." Blake made a show of shrugging apathetically, but something in her posture told Ghira the name held deep meaning to his daughter. "Of all things, they settled on an extinct animal."

Yang rolled her eyes. "They named you after one of the biggest, baddest, nastiest animals that really just wanted to be left alone, and more to the point, you're one of a kind! Vance said it was the perfect name for you!"

Blake sighed softly." … yes. He did," she conceded.

"I can see it is a badge of honor," Ghira diplomatically stated, and he was awarded by a hidden blush from his daughter. "It's clear to your mother and I how much XCOM holds both of you in high regard." He turned to Yang. "What of 'BFG'?"

If he thought he had seen the largest wolfish grin from Yang, her currently bright grin put them all to shame.

"That's me, baby! I'm the BFG! I'm the Big F—"

"Yang!"

Initially smirking without apology, when Yang caught the deep warning in Blake's eyes, she capitulated to some degree. "FIRING Gun," Yang finished, still grinning gleefully.

Kali openly giggled. Ghira simply folded his arms and looked at Yang. "I'll bet you are."

His deadpan humor even brought a laugh out of Blake.

"There is always a remnant?" Ghira quoted. "I don't think you were speaking of our world, though."

Bittersweet smiles graced both girls.

"We mentioned that even before the aliens showed up, Earth's had something of a space program," Yang explained.

"Several nations had programs," Blake commented. Ghira could hear hints of her disapproval. He wasn't sure what she disapproved, though he was certain she'd offer an insight on why. "Instead of working together, they spitefully competed."

"It still doesn't diminish what they did," Yang countered. "They landed people on their moon several times, and they sent probes out of their solar system!"

"They're still mostly planet-bound," Blake lightly groused.

"Yeah, but it was only a matter of time," Yang offered.

"And the expression?" Ghira gently pressed again.

"Oh boy. This is going to get difficult to explain." Yang muttered with a hint of hopelessness.

"The main nation with a space program made a point of making a show of inclusion," Blake murmured again. Strangely enough, she paused and glanced down. "I should give them credit, though. They did try. And besides, this is relevant."

"Then please go on."

"Over a decade ago, one shuttle mission had an astronaut – that's what they call the workers who go into space – from another nation, a place called Israel. You see, decades ago millions of their people were captured by … I can only describe them right now as crazed fascists or I might never get through this explanation."

Blake heaved out a low, cleansing sigh. "The point is one of the astronauts on this shuttle was a son of one of the few survivors of a death prison where one nation rounded up millions of people of one ethnicity. Millions, dad. They murdered them by the millions."

Ghira winced with his wife, not only because of the news and how it hit home, but because it affected Blake so deeply. She held up her façade well, but Ghira knew his daughter well enough to know part of her mind was ranting in outrage.

"This space pilot, Ilan Ramon, brought up artifacts from some the survivors to commemorate what happened," Blake continued. Her voice quake quietly with conviction. "Sixty years had passed, but on … advice from some of his leaders, he performed a ceremony of his people. What matters most is that he didn't do it in defiance or spite, but … in a way to demonstrate that no matter how … monstrous evil is, no matter how much death and carnage they cause, love and hope will always endure."

"The shuttle was destroyed when it tried to re-enter Earth," Yang continued respectfully. "It was a tragedy. But a lot of people were moved by Col. Ramon's final broadcast. He said he never considered himself a spiritual person until then. He said his time in space changed him, and being allowed to perform that ceremony to honor the endurance over evil revealed to him something more. No matter what, there will always be a remnant. Evil can't win forever. He said even if that was his last day alive, he hoped his words would be carried to the stars and bring hope to someone he'd never meet. No matter how hard evil tries, there will always be a remnant for good."

The breakfast table grew quiet again, but this time not sorrow or dismay. A bittersweet peace settled on all four of them.

"Maybe we could use that expression here," Ghira pondered.

"Maybe we could."

"It would certainly fulfill his last wish."

"A message of hope from one person to another from beyond the stars," Kali kindly mused.

"There was one more thing," Ghira thoughtfully said. He sent an inquisitive smile to Yang. "There was a song you were singing? I've never heard it before."

Yang and Blake profusely blushed.

"Um …" Yang tried to overcome her fierce blush. "It's from Earth. There's a musician. He's called Billy Joel. He wrote a lot of cool songs. That's one of his sweeter songs. It's just … well … it's called, 'Just the way you are.'"

Kali and Ghira smiled warmly. "I liked it," Ghira admitted. "I … couldn't help but think about Kali."

"Would you like to hear it, Dad?" Blake shyly offered.

"I think we both would, dear," Kali said, smiling back at her daughter.

"Oh, I got it!" Yang gleefully yelped. She pounced for her scroll. "Once we got our scrolls compatible with Earth-tech, there was no way I was passing up on their music. Remnant is really good, but man! Earth has got _millions_ of musicians!"

Ghira felt a small smile on his face as he witnessed Kali arch a brow in amused interest. While Yang swiftly wrangled with her scroll, he reminded himself that he actually hadn't heard the song played before. Still, something in him told him that this would answer questions from last night.

Satisfied and grinning, Yang set down the scroll with a flourish. She was about to tap the play button when Blake casually leaned forward.

"If you're going to play it, may as well play it right." She shrugged when she tapped a few commands into the scroll. "May as well use the in-house speakers."

Gentle modulated tones deeply played. With Blake's foresight, the notes from the electric piano pulsed kindly in a slow swaying rhythm. An unfamiliar tenor sang. His voice was a little rugged, yet sweet. Earnest. Ghira liked it.

" _Don't go changing_

 _to try and please me_

 _You never let me down before._

 _MmMMmmm._

 _Don't imagine_

 _you're too familiar_

 _And I don't see you anymore!"_

His heart warmed, Ghira glanced over to see Kali's eyes shining.

" _I wouldn't leave you_

 _in times of trouble_

 _We never could have come this far."_

Looking right into Kali's bright eyes, Ghira felt the sentiment shared between he and his wife. Indeed, they never would have come this far. He started to reach his hand out for her.

Kali welcomed it.

" _I took the good times;"_

Their hands united.

" _I'll take the bad times.."_

Ghira felt his lips silently mouth those same words.

" _I'll take you just the way you are!"_

Kali squeezed his hand tightly. Her eyes shined with tears of joy.

" _Don't go trying_

 _some new fashion_

 _Don't change the color of your hair."_

Ghira was awarded with an open laugh from Kali at those words. He grinned and caught sight of Yang tenderly looking over to Blake who rolled her eyes.

" _You always have my_

 _unspoken passion_

 _Although I might not seem to care."_

Her right hand united with Ghira's, Kali smiled sweetly to her daughter and offered her left hand. With a small smile, Blake slipped her right hand away from where she and Yang held both hands together. Seeing mother and daughter reunite made Yang smile even more.

" _I don't want clever_

 _conversation_

 _I never want to work that hard._

 _MmmMMmm."_

Kali giggled as Blake and Yang stuck their tongues playfully out at each other.

" _I just want someone that I can talk to_

 _I want you just the way you are."_

All four of them couldn't deny the small grateful smile that blossomed from those words. How could someone from the other side of the cosmos write words that captured all he felt, Ghira mused.

" _I need to know that you will always be_

 _The same old someone that I knew.."_

He supposed Blake and Yang were right. As baffling and bewildering as this strange Earth was, and as heartbreaking as it was they allowed themselves to shoulder the burden of such a war, Blake and Yang found a treasure beyond price.

Now they were sharing that treasure freely with Kali and Ghira.

" _What will it take till you believe in me_

 _The way that I believe in you?"_

Ghira offered his free hand to Yang.

Shocked and awestruck, Yang's eyes popped wide and her mouth dropped open. With a grateful smile, Yang accepted Ghira's hand.

" _I said I love you_

 _and that's forever_

 _And this I promise from the heart_

 _I could not love you_

 _any better_

 _I love you just the way you are."_

Blake and Kali clearly sniffled. Yang bravely struggled to keep happy tears from flowing as she smiled. Ghira basked in the moment. This is what he lived for. This is what he had hoped for. A truly better life for his family. And yes, strange as it was, now Yang was family.

Billy Joel wasn't done yet. He still had a few more stanzas to mesmerize them all.

" _I don't want clever!_

 _Conversation!_

 _I never want to work that hard._

 _MmMMMmmm._

 _I just want someone_

 _That I can talk to._

 _I love you just the way you are!"_

His feet still felt heavy. Lead still trickled down his spine. Fear still scratched his heart. But they were right. No power of evil could take this away forever.

It was just the way things are.


	17. Culture Festival

V.N. : Man, this one is a blast from the past. I've written this one… Hell, I think I wrote it before the Bees in Japan or just after… But SOMEONE forgot about it and then decided to ignore EVERY OTHER CHAPTER I HAVE CREATED SINCE THE VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL CHAPTER… I think I'll need to write a Sienna x Bradford chapter to make Amish post more of my stuff (Amish Note: I will neither confirm nor deny whether this is a viable strategy, but you should try it anyway)… Anyway, see you at the end of the story!

* * *

Annette looked at the crowd that had gathered in a field near the Avenger, on Patch. When the idea had been brought up by Beagle and a few other operatives, she hadn't expected much. Why would a 'culture festival' be helpful when they had so many things to worry about? With the Avenger still needing repair, the kingdom of Vale needing all the help it could get to defend its population, why would they spend time and effort to set this up?

But, here she was, onlooking the final set up on stage as more and more people came to attend the event. At first it had mainly been XCOM operatives, but now Patch residents were beginning to gather and set up chairs and some were even bringing food with them. Someone had even set up a bar and was preparing to sell alcohol later that night. The ambiance was even more festive than she could have thought. All of this, despite not understanding why they were setting this up, made her smile.

It was, once again, the proof of the resilience of the human spirit. Despite everything happening, people were banding together and trying to bring the best out of the others. This must have been a constant problem back in the days, when humanity was almost wiped out by the creatures of Grimm. Trying to negate your bad feelings as much as possible, as a way to survive even longer. And even today, after the events of the great war, culture, music, art, all of those things were essential part of the everyday life in the world. This was something that had made Annette smile the first time she had seen team RWBY. It had almost reminded her of the power rangers, a team of color coded teenagers fighting for good. Oh, how the things had changed.

"Well, this seems to be coming together nicely, don't you think Major?"

Turning around, Annette smiled as she saw Bradford standing behind her in his usual attire. Like many other operatives, she wondered if he even had different clothes with him. This train of thought made her smile but she quickly put a stop to it. She nodded and turned around once again to look at the stage. On it, the engineers and other technicians were finishing setting up mics and screens and Annette could feel the excitement grow in everybody in attendance, despite the distance separating her from everybody.

"That would be the understatement of the century, sir. The last time I felt something like this, was a few years before the war, when France was in the finals for the world cup."

"You know Annette, you should join the celebrations. Everybody is here to have fun. Don't stand here by yourself."

Annette stood still for a moment, but nodded slowly to her commanding officer. Bradford smiled and shook his head, leaving without a word. Annette sat down and smiled as she saw Beagle get on stage with a microphone in hand. The show was about to start.

"Hello Patch! As a way to thank you all for your gracious hospitality, this ragtag band of soldiers wanted to shower you with some of the best things it had to offer. But when my idea to give everybody awesome jetpacks and weapons was shutdown, I thought what else we could do. And then I had a brilliant idea! Since most of us come from far from here, why not share a little bit of our own culture with you guys? So, today we'll have people from XCOM, Vale, Mistral, Patch and more to entertain you! If you know some of these songs, don't be afraid and sing with us as much as you want! So, to start the night, let me introduce you to two awesome girls. One of them is someone you've known for almost sixteen years! The second one is a newcomer in this town, but she's quickly becoming a fan favorite around these parts! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Patch's very own speedster, Ruby Rose, and the wonderful pint-size engineer, Lily Shen!"

Thunderous applause greeted the two girls who fumbled on stage, both smiling despite their blushing faces. Annette closed her eyes and focused on her friends, sending them as many positive vibes as she could, reassuring and encouraging them. When she opened her eyes once again, she could see Ruby looking directly at her. Annette waved at the young girl who nodded in her direction. Maybe, just maybe, Annette could make an exception and get involved in this. Or at least get closer to show her support to her friends who would end up on stage. She got up and walked towards the stage, as Ruby brought the microphone to her mouth.

"H-Hello everybody. As Captain Beagle said, we're here to share music, art, everything that makes our own little part of the world such an amazing place to live. So, for this reason, I decided to sing this song. It was one of the things that made me want to become a huntress and so I hope that you find it just as inspiring. So, Lily? Kick it!"

The younger girl grinned as she nodded, pressing on a remote control she had in her hand. Quickly, the lights on stage faded, the screens in the back turned black for a moment before lyrics began to appear, allowing the audience to sing along with the two younger girls.

They see you as small and helpless;  
They see you as just a child.  
Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild.  
Prepare for your greatest moments;  
Prepare for your finest hour.  
The dream that you've always dreamed is suddenly about to flower.

Annette smiled as she hummed the melody, arms crossed and standing in the back of the crowd. She couldn't deny, the energy displayed by the two girls was contagious. Near the end of the song, she was singing with the girls and most of the audience, her feet thumping in tempo with the song. When the final crescendo ended and the girls stopped singing, the clearing exploded in thunderous applause and whistles. Blushing, the two young girls bowed before running off stage, both sporting a huge smile on their face.

When Annette saw Beagle get back on stage, she quickly went behind it, joining up with Ruby and Lily who were both panting heavily and giggling as they drank from water bottles. Other operatives and locals where congratulating them for their performance. Standing in the back, the Psi operative put her hands in her pockets, waiting for the younger girls to be free.

"... And so, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Connor Mac Auley, Olivia Kaufmann, Leif Gundersen and Deanna Nappa. Since Mac will be singing we highly recommend you to grab your umbrellas or ear plugs!"

The laughter from the crowd lasted a few seconds and it quickly died down, allowing Mac to do a little welcoming speech. Tuning the Irishman out, Annette smiled as she saw Ruby and Lily making their way towards her. She raised both of her hands in front of her, grinning when the two younger girls quickly high fived her.

"Well, you two absolutely destroyed it back there. That was one way to open up such an event. Though I'm a bit worried for you Lily. Your father might not allow you to leave the ship if you keep gaining so many fans during your stay around here."

Blushing, Lily mumbled something that neither the other two woman could hear, too busy laughing at the younger girl's expanse. Their laughter quickly died down however, when they heard the first few notes of the song chosen by Mac and his friends. Not wanting to disturb the performance, they stopped talking, walking to the side of the stage to look at the quartet of operatives on stage.

In the merry month of June, From my home I started,  
Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted,  
Saluted me father dear, Kissed me darling mother,  
Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother,  
Then off to reap the corn, And leave where I was born,  
Cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblin,  
In a brand new pair of brogues, go rattling o'er the bogs,  
Frightening all the dogs, On the rocky road to Dublin.

Annette rolled her eyes when she saw the two younger girls emulating some dance moves Mac had frequently graced them when he got a little bit too drunk. They managed to keep the act for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. Both at their dance moves and at the engineer's singing voice. While they weren't professional singers like Weiss, they still had a bit of talent in that department. Mac had… none at all. But, he made that up with enthusiasm, which was somewhat helping the situation in some way or another.

Two minutes later and the quatuor finished singing, panting and grinning as the crowd exploded once again, congratulating the operatives on their performance. The four terrans smiled as they bowed to the audience, before quickly exiting the stage. The two younger girls accompanying Annette quickly ran backstage once more to join Mac, leaving the french operative standing on the side of stage as Beagle got back on it. She tuned him out as she watched over the crowd, smiling as she saw everybody's expression. On this island, they had managed to prevent everybody from thinking about the catastrophe that befell Beacon and Vale. For a little while, they made it so the world was somewhat better. And without any guns, fighting or anything. Simply by helping in their own weird way.

After so much fighting, after the beginning of what Annette suspected might be a new Long War, it was great to finally rest. Even if only for a short while, even if nothing made sense anymore. It felt great.

"... And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please welcome the bossman and one of the two smartest people aboard our ship, Commander Bradford and Doctor Vahlen!"

Annette's mind came to a halt as she turned her head slowly to the stage. She must have misheard. There was no chance that… Nope, here they were. Coming up on stage, Vahlen was wearing a black summer dress, high heels and only the bare amount of makeup, she was a farfetch from her usual appearance and demeanor. On stage, she was blushing and looked uncomfortable as opposed to her controlled and stoic attitude. And, looking at her, Annette couldn't help but smile, it did suit her quite well and only enhanced her natural beauty. She pulled out her scroll and pressed record. Weiss would love to see this when she would finally be reunified with XCOM. Next to her, stood the one and only, Bradford in all his glory. Without his trademark vest, he still looked great in his dress coat, decorated with the medals he earned throughout his career.

"Hello everybody. Some of you may know us, but let me introduce myself properly. My name is John Bradford, commander of XCOM. I, along with my good friend, Doctor Vahlen, have decided to sing you a song from a movie from our home town. It's about unity, family and helping one another. Something that we believe is the most important aspect of living and for peace. We hope this message will resonate with all of you."

Bradford turned to look at the tech crew and nodded, before turning back to face the crowd when the music finally started. Every operatives swarmed the surroundings of the stage, nobody having expected either of the person on stage to even sing, let alone getting on stage. Almost all of them had scrolls in hand, filming the event so even those that were still on the Avenger could be witness of such a performance

As you go through life you'll see  
There is so much that we don't understand  
And the only thing we know,  
is things don't always go the way we planned  
But you'll see everyday that we'll never turn away  
When it seems all your dreams come undone  
We will stand by your side filled with hope and filled with pride  
We are more than we are  
We are one

If there's so much I must be, can I still just be me the way I am?  
Can I trust in my own heart?  
Or am I just one part of some big plan?

Bradford was known for many things for XCOM. His cool composure, his resolve to see everything through, his undying loyalty to his comrades and his impressive control on everything surrounding XCOM and everything linked to it. He was also known for his 'no bullshit' attitude, even if it wasn't unheard of him to join in the various antics that some operatives were known for. He was, however, not known for his singing voice, neither was Vahlen for that matter, and this was a welcomed surprise to every operative standing in the audience.

The duet continued for two minutes, until the final note of the song came to a close. At that moment, the operatives exploded in cheers and applause, whistling and clapping like never before. A large chant of each singer's name exploded near the stage, clamoring for them to do an encore. Annette even joined the chants, even if hers were more subdued. The Patch citizens soon joined them as well, the clearing almost vibrating from the sound. Annette didn't miss the growing blush and uneasiness on Dr Vahlen's face. Bradford didn't either and, grabbing the woman's hand to invite her to join him, bowed to the crowd and quickly left the stage.

A few minutes later, the crowd finally calmed down and Beagle finally came back on stage. After that, the night went in a blur. XCOM operatives shared songs from their countries and Remnant citizens did the same. Taiyang and Shen even came on stage to share legends and fairy tales as if they were reading bedtime stories to a child. It was heartwarming and made everybody laugh when Shen decided to tell the story of a young girl with a red hood who went across many dangers only to do what she had to do.

So, two hours later and the celebrations were finally coming to a halt. Beagle, voice hoarse from all the screaming and hyping up he did throughout the night, came on stage for one last time. With him, he brought a stool which he put on the middle of the stage, right in front of two microphones. One at mouth level and the second one a bit lower. Looking at the crowd he smiled and cleared his throat.

"Well, here we are. We've gone through a lot tonight. We've had a lot of fun, many surprises and, most of all, discovered new stories and songs to tell and sing. We've made friends and, maybe for some of you, more than friends. You know who you are, pairs of people that left midway through the show or that couldn't stop kissing when you thought that no one could see you! I won't say names, but I expect 10% of your kid's income when you get one!" He kept silent for a while to let people laugh and recompose themselves before starting again. "We opened the night with one of the local celebrities, with Ruby singing with Lily. We had Taiyang come on stage to go all dad on you. And so, as a roundup for today's ceremony, we present to you the last member of the Xiao Long-Rose family. The little dragon of Patch, Yang Xiao Long!"

As with Ruby's opening number, the crowd erupted in applause. Patch was a tight-knit community, everybody always tried to bring the best out of everyone else. And Yang was a perfect example of that mentality. Even before joining Beacon, she always was trying to help other people around her. Always volunteering to lend a hand when someone needed her muscles, her opinion, or anything she could help with. To say that she was popular with a lot of people on the island would have been an understatement if you surveyed most of the teenagers. For her beauty and her kindness, she was one of the jewels of the community. And this reflected in the welcome she received as she got ready to step onto the stage. A few voices were heard shouting things like "We love you Yang!" or "You're the best Yang!". Those voices were silenced for a moment when Taiyang went back on stage to glare at the crowd, only for him to laugh it off and going backstage quickly.

Yang came on stage with a guitar in her left hand, waving and smiling at the assembled crowd. She sat down on the stool, brought the upper microphone to her mouth and cleared her throat slightly to test if it worked.

"Hey everybody. I hope you're all having a wonderful time right now. I'm going to tell you a little story about the song I'm going to sing to you and then, we'll be on the final stretch. How does that sound? Alright! So, in case someone is new around here or is a tourist, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yang Xiao Long, daughter of Taiyang Xiao Long and sister of Ruby Rose. Now, without going into the whole family history, let's just say that my mom was named Summer Rose." At the mention of the name, what could be described as a loud silence fell on the crowd. In an instant, no more sounds were heard except the sound of the wind and of the various animals around them. "She was the best mom on Remnant. Made the best cookies on this half of the world, was the greatest huntress I know of to this day and was the perfect role model. A little more than 10 years ago, we lost her when she went on one of her missions. After her dea… after her disappearance, I took over some of the things she was in charge of. I began to take care of Ruby and, kinda, became like a motherly figure. To this day, it still affects the relationship I share with her and, despite everything, I wouldn't change it for anything. In those years, I even created my own lullaby to sing to Ruby when she was scared or when she was sad. This is the song I'll sing for you tonight. To thank you for the giant families that Patch and XCOM have become for us. I've called this song Gold and this is my gift, to all of you."

She smiled and played a few notes on her guitar, to make sure it was on tune. She took a deep breath, smiled and looked at the crowd one last time, before looking down on her guitar.

Dream of anything  
I'll make it all come true  
Everything you need  
Is all I'll have for you  
I'm forever by your side  
Always by your side  
Whenever you need a friend  
I'm never far behind

As soon as she began to play the first notes of her song, the mood in the clearing completely changed. It wasn't a fast paced song, far from it, and it captured everybody's attention. They let the words and the notes sway them. They didn't need to have psi powers to understand the weight behind each and every word, to understand the feelings that were poured in the song's lyrics. On the final notes of her ballad, nobody moved a muscle, afraid to break the spell that had taken over everybody. It broke when a red blur bolted through the stage and rammed into Yang, tackling her to the ground. Ruby was a babbling mess, crying as she hugged her sister as hard as she could. It took a few seconds until someone finally began to clap, which prompted everybody else to follow suit. It didn't take long after that for the crowd to stand up and give Yang a standing ovation. It took a few moments for Yang to get back on her feet, but when she did she smiled at Ruby, who smiled back without letting her go.

"I love you…"

"I love you too sis."

Soon after, everybody that took part in the show came back on stage to bow. The crowd continued clapping for what felt like ages. When everything finally calmed down, the people on stage began to leave, joining friends and loved ones standing in the crowd. Bradford however didn't move, smiling as he brought the microphone to his mouth.

"You know, what kind of show would we be if we didn't do an encore?"

The crowd cheered and many sat back. A few operatives began to chant Bradford's name, happy to see the man sing again for them. What they didn't expect, however, was to see Annette walk up on stage and grab the microphone that was held by her commanding officer. He smiled and bowed with a smile before leaving the stage. Annette slowly turned around to face the crowd and she froze when she saw everybody. Halfway through the show she had decided she also wanted to do a little something. Only a few minutes earlier had she decided what and now, she was doubting her decision more and more. When a wave of confidence hit her, she quickly turned her head to Ruby who did a thumbs up to her. Taking a deep breath, Annette smiled at her young friend and brought the microphone to her face.

"Well… I wasn't planning on joining in on the singing, but seeing everybody throughout the night made me change my mind. So, as a way to close the night, I worked with the team backstage to translate the lyrics to the song I'm about to sing. The man who wrote this is an amazing songwriter from my home land. He wrote everything in our local dialect that you guys couldn't know of, but I didn't want to sing this song any other way. So, it's my honor to sing for you my favorite song from Francis Cabrel."

She looked at the crowd one last time and smiled softly. It reminded her of when she first joined XCOM. She was an outsider, she wasn't from the same background as them, but she had still been welcomed with open arms, she had been accepted as one of their own despite everything. She had thanked them by fighting relentlessly with them, by giving her all. And here she was, doing it again. XCOM could have sent RWBY, JNPR and Penny back home, but they had decided to join them, to fight for and with them. She had made friends in XCOM and now she was making new friends on Remnant. Her gaze stopped on ABRN, and especially Arslan, who were all smiling at her and cheering her on. She looked at Ruby and winked at the younger girl.

XCOM was a group of people stranded on a hostile planet and they were making friends, they were making new allies. They had been thanked for their help, but it was now XCOM's time to thank them. Bradford had done it, Vahlen had done it, Shen, Beagle, MacAuley and many, many more had banded together to celebrate the budding friendship between XCOM and the people of Patch. It might have seemed like only a little music show, but for the people of XCOM, for her, it was the representation of something more. It was the beginning of a family that was about to get a lot bigger. And what did family did together? They celebrate, they have fun, they laugh and they share. Well, she was about to do her part as well.

One last deep breath and she nodded at the team backstage to start the music. Behind her, the words appeared in english, but she decided to do the song justice and she slowly began to sing in French. It was her gift to this little clearing and its inhabitants. A thank you for everything before, and for everything that was still to come.

 _Moi je n'étais rien et voilà qu'aujourd'hui_ (I used to be nothing but here I am now) _  
Je suis le gardien du sommeil de ses nuits_ (Watching over the sleep of her nights) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death) _  
Vous pouvez détruire tout ce qu'il vous plaira_ (You can destroy anything you want) _  
Elle n'a qu'à ouvrir l'espace de ses bras_ (She only needs to open the span of her arms)  
 _Pour tout reconstruire, pour tout reconstruire_ (To rebuild everything, to rebuild everything)  
 _Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death)

 _Elle a gommé les chiffres des horloges du quartier_ (She erased the numbers on the clocks around) _  
Elle a fait de ma vie, des cocottes en papier_ (She transformed my life into paper hens) _  
Des éclats de rire_ (Bursts of laughter) _  
Elle a bâti des ponts entre nous et le ciel_ (She built bridges between us and the sky) _  
Et nous les traversons a chaque fois qu'elle_ (And we cross them everytime she) _  
Ne peut pas dormir, ne peut pas dormir_ (Doesn't want to sleep, doesn't want to sleep) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death)

 _Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres_ (She must have gone through every wars) _  
Pour être si forte aujourd'hui_ (To be so strong today) _  
Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres_ (She must have gone through every wars) _  
De la vie_ (Of life) _  
Et l'amour aussi_ (And through love too)

 _Elle vit de son mieux son rêve d'opaline_ (She does her best to live her opaline dream) _  
Elle danse au milieu des forêts qu'elle dessine_ (She dances through the forest she draws) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death) _  
Elle porte des rubans qu'elle laisse s'envoler_ (She wears ribbons and then lets them go) _  
Elle me chante souvent que j'ai tort d'essayer_ (She often sings to me that I'm wrong to try) _  
De les retenir, de les retenir_ (To hold them back, to hold them back) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death)

 _Pour monter dans sa grotte cachée sous les toits_ (To climb in her cave hidden in a garret) _  
Je dois clouer des notes à mes sabots de bois_ (I must nail notes to my wooden clogs) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death) _  
Je dois juste m'asseoir je ne dois pas parler_ (I must sit down and I mustn't speak) _  
Je ne dois rien vouloir de dois juste essayer_ (I must wish for nothing but just try) _  
De lui appartenir, de lui appartenir_ (To belong to her, to belong to her) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death)

 _Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres_ (She must have gone through every wars) _  
Pour être si forte aujourd'hui_ (To be so strong today) _  
Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres_ (She must have gone through every wars) _  
De la vie_ (Of life) _  
Et l'amour aussi_ (And through love too)

 _Moi je n'étais rien et voilà qu'aujourd'hui_ (I used to be nothing but here I am now) _  
Je suis le gardien du sommeil de ses nuits_ (Watching over the sleep of her nights) _  
Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death) _  
Vous pouvez détruire tout ce qu'il vous plaira_ (You can destroy anything you want) _  
Elle n'a qu'à ouvrir l'espace de ses bras_ (She only needs to open the span of her arms)  
 _Pour tout reconstruire, pour tout reconstruire_ (To rebuild everything, to rebuild everything)  
 _Je l'aime à mourir_ (I love her to death)

* * *

V.N. And this is the part where I hope that the way I formated the last song works on FF… Because if it didn't… Amish will have to deal with it.

So yeah, music. To those wondering what the songs in this chapter are, have fun!

Ruby and Lily : This Will be the day, Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams

Mac and Co. : Rocky Road to Dublin, The Dubliners

Bradford and Vahlen : We are one, Lion King 2

Yang : Gold (acoustic), Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams

Annette : Je l'aime à mourir, Francis Cabrel


	18. Hold the Line

A/N: So I thought I was all out of TFTA chapters to post, but then Vin reminded me that I still hadn't uploaded his chapter on RPGCOM's Strike 3. There's also another chapter that got submitted by a new writer recently, so I'll be doing my best to upload that in a week or so after this one. After that? I'm hoping to have a means of generating more interest in the TFTA project in the near-ish future. I'll dive more into that on the next chapter, I think.

* * *

 **V.N.** Hey guys it's been a while! (would have been less of a while if Amish remembered to post these chapters more frequently… Worst is, I'm not even exaggerating, you should see the amount of time he says "Oh shit, I forgot about TFTA!" on Discord) ( _A/N: guilty as charged_ ) So what do we have here? Hum… Well, I'll let you guys find out by yourself, but I just want to warn you… All of the XCOM operatives you're about to meet are from the RP server that we have on Discord. I wanted to write a story that happened on Earth after the disconnect so it felt right to use them. I'll explain a bit more in the notes at the end of this chapter. See you all in a bit!

* * *

 **Title:** Hold the Line

 **Author:** Vinpap

"Okay… But what about 'Ho chi'?"

The engineer ducked behind a short wall as a group of Gryffon dove down towards them. The crackle of machine gun came from behind him, the team of SAS soldiers aiming at the fliers while the three XCOM soldiers managed to hide from the swarm.

"Really? 'Ho Chi' Minh?" the rocketeer answered with his usual neutral tone, shooting a beowolf in the middle of its head. "On your left Kour."

Kourosh "Raid" Shirazi, the engineer, pointed his carbine on his left and began emptying his magazine in his own beowolf, not bothering to aim at the head, instead hoping that the sheer amount of firepower would take it down. Not that Kourosh was holding the most amount of firepower on the field right now. On their right, a japanese man was firing a massive tidal wave of firepower, his LMG killing dozens of small spider-like grimms that they had named "Driders". Without their Remnant residents they were forced to name those new variants of grimms themselves. Mythologies from across the world did turn out to be extremely useful to do so at least.

"We should fall back for a more easily defendable position" the sharp voice of Yuki 'Hevy' Satsuma, the gunner, boomed in their headset as he began to take a few step back from the small wall from which they had taken cover.

"Raid. Cover our retreat. Throw a flash at them and a smoke behind us" Minh Pham, the rocketeer, said as he nodded at Hevy, before turning at the group of SAS. "Head to the village, we've evacuated it earlier so we can hide in it."

The trio of XCOM soldiers began their slow retreat with the support of the SAS team, the amount of firepower barely being useful to slow down the wave of grimms. But they never stopped shooting as they walked towards the abandoned village behind them. It had to be done.

"Okay, hear me out Minh. What about, Lorax?" Kourosh said as he turned around and shot a drider with his pistol in his retreat, swearing as the grimm bit at his leg through his combat boot. "You vietnamese all speak to trees anyway!"

Minh didn't say anything as he took a knee in front of one of the houses of the village, pulling out his launcher at the incoming flight of gryffons. He took a second to aim at them before sending a rocket their way. It hit one of the monsters directly in its 'chest' and engulfed the others in a rain of shrapnel and fire, making the remaining few plummet towards the ground. It allowed the other two operatives to reach the house without being harassed from the air, the SAS having already bunkered down in a few of the houses.

"Hevy, get on top of one of those houses. Rain death from there." came Minh's voice, still as neutral as before, as if there was no danger in front of him. No panic, no terror, in another setting it could have felt like the rocketeer was in his lounge simply ordering his friends while playing a video game. But here he was, in the middle of a small plain somewhere in Scotland, with two other XCOM operatives and a squad of ten SAS mowing down a horde of grimm.

"Who died and made you strike leader?" Kourosh quipped, a grin on his lips as he hid in one of the houses, grabbing a fire grenade from his bandolier.

"You know how it is. When neither of them are here, I'm in charge." Minh answered quickly, grappling up to one of the roofs as he started firing once again at the swarm. It had lessened slightly since the beginning of the encounter but it would still prove difficult with their current team composition.

The fire grenade from Kourosh did allow them a few seconds to take their breath however, the grimms stopping to go around the fire or dying in the inferno from the elerium infused explosive. The SAS even managed to shoot down the trio of beowolves that was coming at them quickly, having flanked them without anybody noticing it in the chaos of the battle. If only they had the proper equipment. But after England's defection from the council during the war, it made sense why it and XCOM were reticent at giving them gauss weaponry now. Who was to say that there weren't more EXALT sleeper cells hidden in their ranks? For now, they would have to do with their ballistic weaponry. Which is why training was so important for this particular team who had been chosen to be the UK's first response unit in case of Grimm outbreak.

"I think I have an idea" Hevy said, reloading his LMG as quickly as possible before nodding at Minh. "Hama Yumi. It's a legendary bow in Japan that is said to destroy evil. Just like you destroy evil with your rockets."

"Oh, Mumakil or Haradrim could be a good one also, since you're always riding Sarah." Kour added, his carbine laying waste to many grimm as it joined the SAS soldiers.

"Or, we could simply do like the Lieutnant and use Hi-"

"No. You know she won't allow it. Only she can call me that. That's her rule." Minh answered, another rocket now in his launcher as he aimed it at the upcoming grimm. He was about to shoot it at a couple of alpha ursas until a scream in his headset made him cringe.

"Will you fuckers shut up and take this seriously?"

Minh and Hevy looked at each other before Hevy shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips, making an interesting sound coming out from his helmet. Minh made a disappointed sound as he had to adjust his aim, now unable to hit the two ursas at the same time, but at least he could hit one of the alphas and the three beowolves around it. When his rocket flew, Minh looked at his watch before humming softly.

"T minus 1 minute. Raid, rain death with your grenades. Hevy, I want you to stop as many of them as you can. Funnel them in our cone of fire." Minh ordered, throwing his launcher to the ground next to him, shooting at the swarm with his rifle, buying the team as much time as he could.

"Roger that" answered the twin voices of the two XCOM operatives. All of a sudden the ground in front of the houses exploded in flame, gas, flashbang and smoke, Kourosh having thrown his remaining grenades at the swarm.

"I got it. Kong." Kourosh said, swearing as his weapon jammed and he had to change to his sidearm to shoot at the few grimms that made it this far. "After all, you're a Vietcong."

"No but seriously, is this a joke to you, you idiots? You're supposed to be helping us to train on how to fight those… things, but here you are, joking around and not taking this grimm incursion seriously!"

To say that the SAS commander was pissed would be the understatement of the century. Minh could easily imagine the face of the english man, red with rage as he screamed in his communicator. On one hand he could understand the reason why he was angry. After all, he was risking his life. But the XCOM soldiers had done this so many times through the months of the Long War, at this point it was only another day at the office for them. Especially since they were all waiting for the scientists to solve the Disconnect to make the plunge on Remnant. But right now… Minh had to deal with an angry englishman. It wasn't like if he had to do that regularly with Briggs anyway…

The rocketeer looked at his watch and grinned when he saw the time. He wouldn't have to deal with the man in the end after all.

"Sergeant Dillard, you do realize we qualify as a mechanized division, don't you?" the rocketeer asked slowly as he reloaded his assault rifle and made sure his grappling hook was working.

"I don't see what any of this has to do with the current problem!" the sergeant answered, seething from anger as he said so.

Ignoring the answer, a small smile appearing on his lips as he heard the telltale sound of loud thumps coming from behind the village, Minh pressed on. "Do you know about El-Alamein, Rommel, Koursk, Custer, Genghis Khan and the Dragoons?"

"What's even the point of these quest-"

"Because they too need training."

All of a sudden, bursting from the few roads between the houses, having ran through the village, seven MECs joined the fight. The Archer and Jaeger class MECs used their jump jets to land on the roof next to Minh as they began to open fire in the swarm. Four of the other MECs stopped before reaching the Grimm swarm to open fire at the monsters, while a last one continued running. The Marauder class MEC was the most colorful, grey with red streaks over it, an algerian flag on its back and twelve flags from other countries drawn on its arms, its twin KSM modules powering up as it jumped into the fray.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting boys." a feminine voice made itself heard in the comms, the grin on the woman's lips evident from her voice tone. "I just wanted to see how you would do against such a small group of grimms. Not gonna lie, not impressed."

"Ah, Lieutenant. You really waited for the exact time you told us. Maybe next time, come earlier?"

"You're talking about me Hevy, the personification of being on time." The lieutenant answered, grunting slightly as she began punching some of the Grimms, turning them to smoke instantly

"Not sure how Central would agree with you on that fact Sarah." Minh quipped, aiming his grappling hook at Sarah's MEC. It fired and, despite the hundreds of hours they had at practicing this particular tactic, it failed to hit its target. Instead, it went slightly to the left of the target. "On your left." Minh simply said, knowing full well what was about to happen.

In one swift motion, Sarah grabbed the grappling hook and secured it on her frame before she pulled out her pulse lance to deal with a larger threat that her KSM would have trouble dealing with. As soon as the grapple was secured, Minh flew towards the MEC, grabbing onto its shoulder, pointing his weapon at a beowolf that was getting a bit too close and shooting it between the eyes instantly.

"So, Ripley, what's the plan?" Minh asked, allowing one of his rare smiles to appear on his lips.

"Just as usual Hicks. We shoot what wants to kill us. I'll take you out to dinner after it, seems like I lost my bet. I'll let Briggs yell at you once we get back to the Anthill." Lieutnant Sarah 'Ripley' Timsit answered, a laugh escaping her lips as she slammed her fist through the head of an Ursa Major.

"No but seriously, why do all the rookies have nicknames but Minh doesn't have one? I call bullshit!" came Kourosh's remark as he walked out of cover from inside of the house to look at the carnage that the seven MEC troopers were making.

Grinning the pair of operatives thick in the fray began to lay waste to the grimms. They could have been anywhere else in the world. They could have been resting. They could have let this grimm incursion to anybody else, they could have left the SAS training go to anyone else. But Strike Three was on a mission. It had already been two months since the disconnect, two months since they had lost Lucian and Judy to it, since they had been stranded and incapable of helping their friends on Remnant. So they were training, they were fighting around the globe to stop the grimm, they were helping to train the next generation of XCOM operatives so that, once the portal was connected once more, they would be the first team in and they would show the Remnant operatives just what they had managed to do while they were gone.

They would go to hell and back to save their friends. And they intended to make it so.

* * *

 **V.N.** So, as I said in the beginning, all of the characters (Sarah, Minh, Hevy and Kourosh) are all character from the RP server. I'll say it now… I don't know if they'll still be alive in the RP if we ever reach the Disconnect. But I can tell you something. We'll all be there if you want to join us on the server. Amish has the link for the REMCOM server on his profile, but if you want to join us on the RP server, here it is : /DWTuSg3

JNPR is about to join us in the next few weeks, so that gives you an idea of how far we are in the story, and there are a bunch of named characters that still can be played! And if you don't feel like playing a named character, you can create your own character! If you decide to join, I'll personally welcome you (either as Sarah, Yang, Annette or Laurie the eccentric psychiatrist the depending of my mood) but there are actually a bunch of us. I think we are around thirty (semi) active users with a core group of around 15.

So come on.

The council needs **YOU** to defend earth against the aliens.


	19. Prometheus

Amish's Note: Got a new author for y'all this time around. Red's very active on the REMCOM RPG server (one of the lead GM's, actually), and Van Doorn's comment about a psi school on Earth was actually his brainchild to some degree. So he wanted to write a little snippet that adds a bit of flavor to the psi school, and here we are.

* * *

Author's Note. Hello. This was my first attempt at writing a story in a long time. The closest that I had come was a single page short story in high school. I've been following Amish's work since chapter 5 of RW and have been an active member of the discord server and RP ever since I found out how to use discord. This TFTA is the result of an idea spawned in the RP and that doc enjoyed enough to make mention of in RU. Thank you for reading and please leave constructive criticism.

* * *

 **Title:** Prometheus

 **Author:** Red

It was a cool day in Scotland, further aided by a slight chill blowing off Loch Ness. Looking out from behind auburn bangs, Tali Cooper looked across the lake. She had considered cutting it, but she liked her close-cropped bob cut. She enjoyed the way the hair framed her face. Looking down at the water caused her smile as she saw herself reflected back at her, pale face painted with two vertical streaks of red below her eyes.

The air was growing colder and she could see the sun was close to meeting the horizon. Still having a few places to be she turned before walking up the hill from the shore, the catlike ears atop her head catching the sounds of laughter coming from a group of children playing in the village square. While much of the Mucallin's Keep and surrounding village had been ravaged by the Alien's initial attack, the square had been remarkably preserved with only the local constabulary being destroyed.

Lady Mucallin's first priority upon returning to her homestead had been refurbishing and repairing the damaged dwellings of her family, while it was true that she and her children were the last of that particular line, she was welcome to the idea of allowing staff and children the use of the buildings until the "Cooper-Forrester Institute for the Psionically gifted" was finished being built. She smiled at the name; her husband wasn't a fan of his name being in the title, but the young medic had been insistent. "When people see that their children are safe and well trained in their gifts, I want them to know that it's because of you, she had told him, ignoring the fact that not just children would be involved. Children were easier to use, their very idea magnifying any feeling being used be it pride or fear.

It was also true that this was only possible because of Lady Mucallin's generosity. Tali couldn't help but think while pulling her black Kosode close to shield her from the breeze. Her strike leader had considered her family, and when they mentioned looking for a future home and site for the school Martha had been overjoyed. Martha and her wife, Allison were both good friends. Martha had been the strike leader of "Trapper Six" Since just before Tali had arrived as a fresh-faced medic and nurse. That image brought a smile to her lips. XCOM no longer needed dual staffing like back then. A moment later the smile was replaced with a frown. She hadn't been the first "6-3". That position had belonged to her brother, a former teacher who had practically raised her after their mother died and their father had been deported. He died fairly early in the war, the memory of Operation: Vengeful Serpent causing her to nearly drop to the ground. It hadn't been the worst failure, but its scars still haunted many of the more senior members. It was only thanks to the efforts of Captain Mucallin, Dr. Carlson, and her beloved husband that she had been able to recover from her loss.

Walking up the hill the medic took in the sight of her future home. Sitting next to the keep and responsible for carving out a chunk of the mountain's base, the entire area for the school would take up a football field. At the moment, however, all that was there was flattened land that looked out over the village. Closing her amber glowing eyes she imagined high walls to match those of the Keep's, surrounding the perimeter of the school. She would have laughed at the thought of stone had she not seen the functionality of them and the modern methods of security being blended into the architecture. Everything from reinforced walls, and recessed retractable steel shutters, to concealed Anti Air emplacements had been added.

After another 10 minutes of walking, she stood in the middle of the site. In a years' time, she would be standing on the steps to the main school building. The cafeteria and dorms would sit on the far right and the far left in separate buildings. Behind where the main building would sit was the second largest foundation. While it wouldn't be a world class, plans were in place for a large gym to be erected. A large indoor pool had been a necessity, a fourth of which would be 16 feet deep. They had been insistent on separate buildings for safety instead of a single structure. The only exception was her clinic. It would be attached to the back of the school to reduce the time for students to get medical attention. She had seen too many close calls with the aliens… Too many friends lost not even a month ago, she refused to take chances.

Speaking of not taking chances, the sound of two pairs of treads crushing dirt caught her enhanced hearing. She looked to her right and saw two armored SHIV's moving towards her, designations LEGION and Rasputin. Two of the earliest SHIV's and ones that had been special to the Master Sergeant medic throughout the war. XCOM had sent them as a part of their official backing for the project. Who better to guard the premises than two old friends? She crouched down and stared into their optics. "Who's a good boy"? she cooed. LEGION reacted by giving a status report and rotating his treads left and right as a form of "tail wag". Petting them both above their "eyes" she sent them back on their patrol routes. While there wasn't much out there that would attack this small part of Scotland, between the Grimm and other animals she didn't wish to risk it. Even now she still carried her "Cat Tail" whip, the razor laced weapon would allow her to at least restrain a single Grimm.

As the sun started to set she made her way over to the Keep, by the time she was past the gate and it's "Murderhole" she could smell the stew coming from the Keep's kitchen. Her stomach rumbling at the thought, she opened the wooden doors and stepped into the large open grand hall. At one point Mrs. Mucallin's cooking had scared her. This was the same woman who thought you could microwave an MRE at the start of the war. She shivered as she remembered letting her enemy turned friend, Adam, take her place as a "taste tester" for their cooking lessons.

"Seto Taishō wa daidokoro de sorehodo kikende wa nakattadarou". She muttered.

Of the entire structure, the grand hall was the least offending. She could still see the plasma scarring and impact craters from the time the aliens had ransacked the place. A cold void filled her gut every time she thought about what was lying below, the empty chamber that claimed the lives of one of their first officers. Rubbing her hands along the stonework reminded them of that day. They were happy, eager, just prepared enough for a small skirmish. Knowing what they know now it's amazing they hadn't all been speared by the proto-Grimm. The gelatinous creature that the aliens scooped up in that giant harvester of theirs. It had been one of the scariest and most dangerous moments in the medic's life. When they had discovered the meld jars perfectly preserved save for one, they had assumed it was merely a strange boon. Instead, they discovered that something had been stored in it, and had escaped. She could still see it's blood red eyes barely 3 feet from her face before it put a hole the size of a baseball through Allison's torso.

"Tal"? Her husband called from the dining hall. She shook her head as she focused on the now and not the past. "Coming dear". She replied before heading into the dining room. Despite her previous musings she put on a smile as she sat next to her husband and adopted daughter. Martha gave Tali a quick look and a "Sis" before going back to doting on her pregnant wife.

After a brief period of small talk, Martha disappeared into the kitchen before returning with plates of food. "Don't worry about the smell, I tak' it none of you have had lamb"? The Scotswoman asked awkwardly, slight burr showing their inner doubt in their cooking. It was true of course. As far as Tali was aware, none of the people in the room had. It didn't matter, Martha's cooking was much improved and overall it appeared to be a simple fair. Mashed potatoes and green peas covered the plate in generous helpings to go along with the poor smelling meat.

Over dinner the two couples continued with their small talk but found that they were all short on topics. One of the consequences of having lived in a relatively small base for over a year was that everybody knew the same events. While Martha recounted an embarrassing memory of how her first laser weapon exploded. Tali's eyes scanned the room for something of hers to discuss. When her eyes caught sight of a suit that hadn't been there earlier she found her topic.

"When did they return your clan's armor"? The ancient suit of proto-kestrel shined as if it had been freshly polished. Clearly it had been well cared for since she had last seen it. Even from her seat at the end of the table she could see the metal engravings and Scottish clan symbols. It seemed the only modification had been a weight added to the cape hooked to the back of the Armor.

Martha paused before giving a grin that reflected the pure joy of reclaiming some of her clan's heritage. "That's not the only thin' they returned". Still grinning she stood and moved to an armor stand on the opposite wall blondish ponytail swaying from side to side. Pulling of a white cloth revealed that indeed XCOM had not just sent the original, but they sent the very first set of Kestrel. The armor had been personally crafted for the Scottish woman and thus was the only one to come with the engravings and tartan. "They also returned the books we collected before the aliens ransacked the library. It's not much but two bookshelves is better than none, you know"?

Tali smiled and nodded happy to see Martha so full with joy. Everyone in the room but little Sunny had been on that first Mission to recover the Keep. "I'm happy to see you already rebuilding your family's history Martha. I only wish we could have saved more". She said with a pained expression.

"We saved enough. We saved enough." Martha comforted.

"I think we can agree that the suit and it's manual were the most important at the very least. Had we not found that suit, who knows how long it would have taken for us to research an armor like Kestrel or Carapace. At least it made fighting that giant fucking blob of bones and evil worth it". Allison commented dully her eyes hidden by dark black hair in need of a cut. While everyone laughed at first there were still lingering looks of concern. Of the many wounds people had accrued from fighting the Grimm, Allison was the first and the most severe to have survived. Even after months of recovery and being mostly cured of her near death depression, she was still bad about making offbeat humor.

"The Aliens got there's as well at least. Remember Grimm are like giant fluffy xenomorphs for Sectoids." Arthur commented while bending a spoon back and forth for Sunny's amusement, the adopted Russian toddler laughing in her high chair.

"Love..., never say those words in that order ever again". Tali asked while staring at her husband, much to his and everyone else's amusement. After pouting for a moment she joined in and started laughing.

* * *

Amish Note: One more thing I would like to discuss here. I mentioned in my A/N last week that I was putting together an initiative to get more interest in writers contributing content to the TFTA project. Essentially, I'm planning on introducing a repeating writing contest on the REMCOM server where people will produce and submit TFTA chapters to be entered into a random drawing for a monetary reward. At the moment, I am thinking that the prize will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 for each month that the contest runs for (so $45 prize if the submission period is 3 months). The full details haven't been hammered out just yet, but please check out the REMCOM discord server if you're interested in taking a crack at writing some content for TFTA. I plan to make a formal announcement about the first run of the contest when I drop the next RU chapter (most likely sometime next month).

Cheers,  
Amish


	20. Operation Savior Spirit

A/N: Welcome back everyone! TFTA is live once again, thanks to my brilliant idea to brib- err... _nicely ask_ people on my Discord server to participate in a writing contest. We had a wonderful set of entries, which I will be posting weekly for your enjoyment. First up is the winner of the giveaway, a new writer to the TFTA project but someone who has quite a list of his own written works on FanFiction. He chose to answer a question that I've been interested in for quite a while:

How is EarthCOM making itself useful after the Long War?

* * *

 **Title:** Operation Savior Spirit

 **Author:** Johnnieboy11

The event that split XCOM's command structure in two, known as the Disconnect, had left many wondering what they could do until the worlds of Remnant and Earth were once again reunited, with their most elite returning into the fold. Dozens of operatives wondered what would become of them now that the war was over, among which, more-so, the MEC Trooper branch of XCOM.

Whilst one would think that returning home, part-human, part-machine, would freak out your family-Which had been the case for several MEC Troopers that were allowed shore leave-the stares from bystanders and civilians were surprisingly even more pressing…

Sergeant Matthew "Old Ironside" Jones had been part of XCOM's roster for a while, running with Strike-10 back before his augmentations, only to return to them a man made of metal. He was used to being the pylon of the team, bringing his heavy armaments to bear on enemies like the Mutons and Mechtoids while also providing an armored wall between the washing waves of plasma and his comrades, wounded or not.

Jones… He'd seen much. The disasters wrought by alien terror attacks, the Chryssalids and their nightmarish breeding methods… Yet as he hung, held by two heavy-duty tow cables attached to Chinooks, above the broken city of Bucharest, never had he thought his worst enemy, and that of the people of this city, would be _Nature herself._

The rubble of dozens of soviet-style apartment blocks formed mounds. The twisting and winding roads of the Romanian capital were littered with bodies, trash and shards of glass and the Search and Rescue teams, though underequipped, trudged on through the rubble. The people below, survivor and aid worker alike, stared up at the MEC with wide eyes. Some smiled, others cheered, but many held their breaths… The city had been spared by the Aliens' bombardment, but not by a Magnitude 8 Earthquake, the biggest in the region since the 1970s.

The former Marine stared at his MEC frame. While it was the basic MEC-1 Paladin system, it had received a lot of structural upgrades, specifically for situations such as this. The legs of the suit had been reinforced with hydraulic clamps that would lock him down in place while he worked on Rescue.

His arms were also severely modified with advanced drills, Hydraulics and machinery and the suit's central armored core, usually defending the pilot's internals, was replaced with a suite of highly-advanced Sensors to assist in detecting trapped individuals… These sensors were linked directly to his modular helmet's HUD.

"RESCUE 1-1, be advised:We are approaching DZ Bravo. Stand by." One of the pilots chimed in. Jones' helmet soon reassembled itself back over his head and the Heads-Up Display materialized. Sensor readings, diagnostics and a Cross-Hair for target assistance with his wrist-mounted drills and his enhanced Kinetic-Strike Module.

"This is Jones, I read you loud and clear." The man reported. "Linking CORG Vehicles to Heads-Up Display." And he could only smile at the name.

More diagnostics, these ones for the modified SHIV units made by one of the eggheads back in the Anthill, appeared on his HUD. The Condition Optimization and Rescue Guide vehicles were machines modified with bulldozer blades at the front, as well as specialized pulse cutting lasers and a slew of other sensors to assist in search and rescue ops.

"Beginning descent." The Pilot spoke…

The aircraft gently let the MEC down into the middle of a Parc within the city itself, from where Search and Rescue efforts were being conducted. Multiple FEMA and RED CROSS Tents formed a compound within what used to be a kids' playground, now with the old toys and rides removed. Body bags lay in an open field to the right. A medical tent on the left tended to at least a hundred wounded.

One of the Helicopters, the one hauling the CORG units, landed to deploy the bots. The Alloy SHIV frames held up the necessary equipment quite well, with the pulse cutters at the top already shining. They lined up in a row in front of the MEC. The man saw a squadron of soldiers within the camp, with an M1 Bradley AFV…

An Emergency Response officer, clad in bright-orange clothes with shining stripes and a white Hardhat, ran toward the MEC. Jones gave a mock salute to the man as he approached.

Said man spoke, his accent eastern, thick "You the one that XCOM sent?"

"Yeah. Sergeant Jones's the name. Tell me where you need me." Sarge answered promptly.

"Switch to Radio frequency three please, Sergeant." The worker spoke. "I'm Mikhail. Liaison from Romanian Emergency Services to FEMA and the UN."

"A pleasure." Jones smirked "Would shake your hand, Mike, but…" And he motioned to his MEC arms. Mikhail nodded, giving the Marine a half-smile as response…

"I think they'll need you up the road and North. An old 1980s building collapsed. Lots of families. A few made it out, but many are still under the rubble… Also, beware of the _Strigoi_."

"Strigoi?"

"Grimm, I think your people call them… They're around the areas we haven't gotten to." Mike seemed to tense. "Lost a few US volunteers around that place…"

"I can deal with a few Grimm, Mike… How's the damage to the city?" The man inquired, traces of worry in his robotic voice.

"What hasn't fallen is either well-built or waiting to do so. Watch your back around old neighborhoods with our Soviet-era hab blocks. Those'll be the first to give way at the least amount of vibration."

"Noted." Jones said. "Freq 3. I'll be in touch." And he turned to leave. Armored feet thundered against stone and concrete as the man moved, with the small UGVs trailing him. The facades of the blocs around him had collapsed, if not the entire building. He could see underneath the stones, the bodies of those. His sensors scanned for lifesigns in the rubble as he slowed his pace.

So far, everything around him was dead. Cars lay abandoned or broken in the streets, crushed by one or two concrete boulders bigger than them, but, Jones wasn't sure if thankfully or sadly, there was nobody inside the vehicles.

Entering the Old Town area and taking a left led the man to the site of the collapsed building. Three ambulances were lined up, EMTs working, dogs barking. A woman turned to the sound of moving treads and thundering feet and waved. She was an EMT, tending to a patient…

Jones approached, then asked "Where?"

"There." She pointed quickly at the center of the rubble. She was too focused on the patient to notice him… But the patient, a 13-year-old girl with a hurt arm and some bruising, wasn't… Wide green eyes and a toothy smile looked at him, with all the innocence of a child. He nodded to her in reassurance...

The man then motioned to his drones and two of them moved. Their treads kicked up dust as they climbed over the pile. The sensors inside their hulls powered and data streamed into the man's HUD. He approached the rubble, his own sensors activating to scan deeper…

CORG-1 was first to ping a target. Faint lifesigns, bottom right of the rubble. He looked to the workers still around the place and ordered promptly "Anyone on the rubble, take a step back, please!" before stepping forth. The piece covering the single survivor, which appeared to be a person in their mid-20s, was one giant shard…

He stepped up to it, wrapping his fingers around the item, before he nodded to the two CORG bots, their systems activating. Hydraulic presses worked in conjunction with the MEC's reinforced arms… Slowly, the piece of rubble was lifted off the ground. The drills in the MEC's armored feet stabbed into the concrete and locked him in place as he worked on moving the rubble…

With a heave, the man carefully set the boulder down onto another spot, to see a woman laying under the rubble… She stared with awe at the man. A cut on her forehead let blood run down her left cheek, but that was the least dangerous injury. Two broken legs…

The MEC motioned to another CORG, CORG-3, to go and apply a Medikit. She watched it approach and a small arm with a spray extend from the side. She groaned as the strange mist that came from it hit her legs. It stung and burned, but her wounds slowly closed…

Two EMTs with a stretcher moved ahead of the MEC to help the woman as he was already going for another piece of rubble to move aside. He ordered CORGs one and two to fire on it with lasers, to start cutting it. Going by sensors, it was gonna crack already, but that would mean anyone underneath would die a pretty grisly death under the pieces that broke… And there were two survivors. One small, young, one tall, slightly older…

Two brothers came to light as the pulse cutters opened a gash near them. The older man held his 7-year-old brother close, hugging him. The trembling young boy turned his head from his brother's chest, to look up to the light, tearing up, but smiled widely upon seeing the titan before them pulling the rubble aside.

No major injuries. A couple bruises and possible contusions as far as the sensor suite told him… Good. The EMTs once again moved in, to aid the two brothers as one of the ambulances left.

Another two pings… But one was really weak. Higher above…

The MEC advanced over to the other two pings, before starting to clear the rubble. He pushed aside a steel pipe, a piece of wall and a dozen more pieces of broken furniture, before finding the car underneath. The driver's side windshield. was speared through by a piece of rusted rebar...

The Marine heard crying… Taking a knee and looking into the dusty windows of the vehicle, the man's sensors picked her up… A baby. A very, very young baby on the right… And in the driver's seat on the left, bleeding from the wound caused by the rebar, a young woman, pale in the face… The baby's mother… She stared at him with narrow eyes, breathing raggedly...

The MEC ripped the side rear door open, allowing the EMTs to reach the Baby, before he went to the Driver's side and pulled the door off its hinges, tossing it further into the rubble. The woman looked at him, smiling weakly as her life ran out before his eyes… Her fear, however, remained.

"We got an emergency!" The MEC blared through his armor's speakers. "Major injury!" And CORG-2 approached, its laser already pulsing as it cut through the rebar's forward section. The piece fell onto the car's hood. The bot went to work on the other side as the EMTs moved in to attempt to stabilize her… She spoke to them something and the Medics protested. She pointed to the other buildings around, some of which still whole, but crumbling. She coughed blood and then yelled "You! Robot!" to Jones. "Those buildings! They'll fall!"

… And indeed, as Jones scanned the old, apparently late 1800s' era empty Buildings, he saw their structural integrity buckling. And as the first cracks in the facade appeared, he ran toward... Powering his armor's joints to full, he caught the front of a collapsing building. The CORG Bots moved in to assist, hydraulics kicking into overdrive…

He looked back to the EMTs and called out "Get the fuck back to the Headquarters! That's an order!" as an echoing rumble ran through the city… The ground below them shook hard and the buildings further started to crack, but the soldier did his damnedest to keep them up as the Ambulances started to leave with the wounded.

The ground below Jones started to crack as more and more of the first building leaned on his weight. The first vehicle made it into the boulevard, leaving straight for the camp… The second, and last, vehicle followed soon after, with whatever EMTs were on foot running away as fast as they could.

" _Jones. It's Mikhail! We've got an issue… An aftershock."_ The Romanian SNR officer spoke.

"I noticed, Mike!" Groaned the MEC, HUD flaring red as pressure built up in his Hydraulics. One hand motion had the four CORGs power their Lasers to max… The beams lanced toward the building, cutting into the concrete, slashing it into tinier and tinier pieces with incredible precision…

Jones jumped back, letting the rubble fall onto the pavement, before looking up at the sky… A black bird about twice his size flew high, its scarlet, predatory eyes scanning the rubble. He swore, then said "This is Jones to Mike, I can see a Nevermore up high… Please, tell me the escort they sent here has some sort of AA."

" _You mean the Peacekeepers!? They're here to work with the police, not fight Grimm!"_

"Well, we're gonna need a lot of backup then." The man mused, looking up. There was gonna be a second wave of MEC Teams coming in to support with fire-prevention equipment. He sighed, then switched out frequencies to the XCOM Freq and said "Commander, this is RESCUE 1-1. Be advised: I have Grimm in visual. Single bird for now, but could be more. Request air support if possib-..."

He paused, shock in his eyes as three more birds appeared, then five, then eight… And they just kept coming... Jones swallowed "Uhm… Commander, make that any and every bird we've got… I don't think the Romanian Air Force and Army can handle that many Nevermores."

" _Heard you loud and clear, RESCUE. Keep working for now, 1-1. We've got birds underway. Strike-10 is coming in to assist, as per the Lieutenant's own request."_ Van Doorn spoke " _Hang tight. Backup's coming."_

"Will do my best… 1-1 out." The man said, before starting a sprint, watching as the birds of prey started swooping down toward the city center. Every time one dived, it came back up with at least a person in its claws. Scarlet tracers lit up the sky, possibly 50-cals from Humvees going by the snap-crack of the shots…

The Grimm agilely dodged between the rounds… And one dived toward him. It screeched at him, its beak aiming for his open chest… A pulse beam scratched its feathers and sent it away. One of the CORGs fired… Automated defense against threats for the operator of the drones.

Jones made a mental note to thank the docs for that little addition. With no armor whatsoever, the Grimm would've poked his fucking chest wide open like a woodpecker… Whatever they were attacking, it was probably a secondary rallying site…

The main boulevard became a shooting gallery. Three Humvees appeared with a single Gepard Anti-Air tank. It started tracking one of the birds, that same one which charged Jones, before opening fire. The rattle of twin twenties was stress-relieving for the Marine. He watched the bird that attacked him get seared in half under the thunder of shells…

But two more took its place. One's quills flew toward the AAA and struck the engine and radar. The engine itself sputtered and died, but the main guns and rotation of the turret still worked… Soldiers appeared out of the Humvees, firing their local-variation 7,62 AK Rifles up at the birds…

A lieutenant looked to Jones and spoke "We've got civilians trapped and under attack at the Mall in the city center! Not like rubble was enough, we've got Grimm swarming the area!"

"How many Civilians!?"

"A few hundred! Dozens under rubble! Dozens more being nabbed!"

Jones grit his teeth, before surging out with his squadron of drones toward the mall. Along the way, he caught sight of more Romanian Armed Forces units pouring into town:Humvees, IFVs, AFVs and even a squadron of 5 Tanks… Some big Grimm must've been coming.

A few Humvees followed him and his Drones as they entered the parking lot of the mall… It was surprisingly still standing, though the glass dome at the top was broken. Barging through the front door, the Marine soon found that the inside _was_ broken… And dozens of cries for help filtered into his helmet's audio sensors. Soldiers were working on pulling the people out, but they needed help…

His drones got to work, cutting, breaking and moving rubble to assist. Teenagers emerged from the wreckage, as one would expect. But as he saw them try to leave through the front, he called out to them "Wait!" as more Grimm appeared, charging the door.

The man jumped in front of them, delivering a mechanical fist to the face of the first monster that came into view, before ordering "Get back! Now!" to the kids as claws scratched against his unarmored frame, damaging parts of his suit. He was quick to respond, picking two Grimm Creeps off of his armor and tossing them aside, with broken backs.

Romanian AFVs let rip their cannons and guns and the Infantry that disembarked was quickly working on putting down the smaller swarm Grimm. The roar of a tank's 105mm gun echoed through the rubble and a High-Explosive shell severely thinned advancing Grimm numbers from the first wave.

Jones' earpiece played the Romanian comms directly into his ears. He didn't understand the language, but going by the combination of orders being screamed and the professionalism of which the soldiers took to their duties, it was evident that they were determined to defend their families and push the monsters back.

A bigger Grimm… A Beowolf Alpha… Charged him, its claws striking metal. Its teeth gnashed against the plating, cutting into one of his arm's servos. A CORG fired a beam of scarlet energy,, slashing the creature's side, before turning back to its rescue task. The man, meanwhile, punched aside another two Grimm, before kicking down and stomping on a third and finally pushing into the Beowolf before him, trying to pin it to the ground

A Romanian AT Rifleman took his RPG off his back, aiming down the scope and firing off a rocket into another Beowolf, only to find himself speared by a Nevermore's quill. Some soldiers staggered, seeming ready to retreat… And the people behind him, the civilians saving their friends, slowed their evacuation, afraid…

He couldn't let them just go down… Not when rescue was so close…

Charging another Grimm about to pounce on a man and breaking it in half with sheer force, he called to them "KEEP FIGHTING!" before using one of his drills on the head of another big Grimm, an Ursa and saying "We've got people to save, soldiers! Don't fuck it up!"

The riflemen and gunners looked to him, then nodded. Jones nodded back to them, then said "Form platoons! Start clearing the parking lot! Each platoon has one vic with them! Gun these fucks down!"

The Infantry quickly organized with the Humvees and the tanks that advanced into the parking lot. The Anti-Air tanks turned their guns toward the swarm of Grimm above. Their twenties rattled and the sky filled with lead…

Jones felt a Creep hinge onto his left shoulder, digging its teeth into the hydraulics and catching a lucky break in severing them. His left arm locked up, drill spinning aimlessly. He was thankful he could shake it off and stomp it down before it did any more damage, but by the time he focused on it, another Beowolf and an Ursa Major charged him.

Two clawed paws and a set of teeth cut into armor again and this time, they touched flesh, drawing blood. The Marine shook off the porcupine Grimm, before drilling its skull in and turning about to headbutt the Beowolf to the ground.

Civilians piled into the armored vehicles that the Army units piled out of, under their guidance. Ambulances worked to take the wounded out under escort, while the main focus of the Romanian regulars was on the Grimm…

Jones staggered as more and more strikes took out his hydraulics… Two nevermore quills hit his right shoulder and elbow, disabling his arm. Another struck his left knee, staggering him, then gnashing teeth severed his right's connection, bringing him to the floor… The Marine now stared eye-to-eye with a horde of Grimm… And he saw soldiers fall. Outnumbered as they were, the Romanians held the line. Few fled and if they did, the Grimm got them… The Marine grinned at the Grimm overhead…

"Come on, you ugly fuck… Finish it…" He spoke, a fire in his eyes

… But just as Jones thought they were done for, he heard the telltale _thruuum_ of Firestorm engines. Indeed, the circular alien-hunting aircraft of XCOM barrelled overhead, their Plasma and Pulse Laser cannons' fire, a crisscross pattern of scarlet and emerald that set alight the sky… Following them in, three squadrons' worth of F/A-18 Fighters and transport aircraft of the NATO presence in Romania, more specifically of the USA, came in…

Ospreys landed, deploying fellow Marines and Army troops groundside, M1A2 Abrams tanks with the TUSK package advanced into the parking lot, 50s barking, cannons roaring and Bradleys loosed a battalion's worth of infantry under cover from 30mm Autocannons and TOW missiles…

And the famous, guttural roar of A10 Gatling Cannons signaled the clearing of the streets from a wave of Grimm. Jones was so busy looking at their reinforcements, that he had been unable to see the landing aircraft next to him… And the chrome-clad warriors that came with it. Plasma melted the Grimm in front and footsteps, both of MEC Troopers and of XCOM ops, came to him…

A black-haired, pale woman appeared in front of him, a smile on her face, followed by an olive-skinned beauty.

"Christ, Jones…" The pale one spoke, checking his wound. "A few Grimm and you're down?"

He chuckled "Well, Haataja… They kinda swarmed me."

"You'll be fine…" The team's medic nodded, slinging her Plasma Carbine onto her back. Softly, she spoke to herself "But that was an insufferable amount of Grimm, to be quite honest…" as she turned to the NATO forces that now linked up.

"Yeah." The Marine agreed. "Oh, by the way… Remind me to thank whoever's running our SHIV improvement programs for the CORGs… Little guys have been a godsend for the 'rescue' part of this op."

"We'll get ya home to thank him personally while he's fixing up your MEC." Haataja smirked. "Hey, Lieutenant."

"I know, Spurdoc… Let's pack things up and move out." The woman spoke. "Get me heavy lift gear and let's get Jonesey back aboard the bird. Then, we'll get to hunting us some varmints… Hey, Texas Jones, speaking of…"

"... Fuck off, Lieutenant…" He chuckled… God, he needed a lie-down right now...

Content to watch the wave of allied reinforcements entering the broken city as he was carried off, the Marine-turned-MEC thought of that little girl in the alley. Her bright smile, hidden behind a layer of soot and dust, was what drove him on through the fighting and the darkness. His Heads-Up Display flickered and an image formed. He was in the middle, all limbs still attached and uniform on…

And sitting to his left and to his right were a beautiful raven-haired woman and a cute little girl with shining black hair and a toothy, bright smile. Written on the top were words in bold red permanent marker…

' _For daddy, stay safe! From mom and Lizzie_ '...

He smiled sadly… "I'm trying, girls… God only knows, I am…"

" _Rest in peace…"_


	21. Fallen Huntsman

A/N: A little late posting this one, but it's less than a week late so I'm still gonna call it a victory for me. Another chapter by SirMandokarla, this one about a team of huntsmen that I unfortunately didn't spend much time fleshing out in RU. So Mando has done me the favor of fleshing them out a bit for me.

Enjoy

* * *

 **Title:** Fallen Huntsman

 **Author:** SirMandokarla

"Let us in!" The sound of his fist against solid wood rattled through Cardin Winchester, but he just raised his voice until he could hear himself again. "Father! Let us in!"

He kept hammering on the door as he looked back at his team. Dove and Russel were holding up Sky, who was barely standing, even though he was bleeding less than Russel. Russel's arm looked like it was nothing but ribbons of blood. They were all covered in it by now.

The door finally opened and Cardin's knocking almost punched the man opening it in the face.

Instead of apologizing, Cardin pushed his way in, all but dragging his team along with him. "Father, we need a doctor. Sky, there's-"

"What are you doing here?!"

Cardin turned to face his father. Even hulking over the man in a suit of armour, Cardin shrank away from the man instinctively. Then he drew himself up and snarled. "My team is in trouble! They need help."

"You _ran_? Like a coward?"

Cardin's team hesitated. They didn't know where to go in a house this size. But helping them would mean ignoring his father. The man wouldn't let him get away with that.

"We didn't have a choice." Cardin put up his hands as if he could ward off his father's glare. "The Grimm were everywhere. Sky and Russel are out of Aura!"

"Isn't that what I sent you to that academy for in the first place?" his father demanded. "What was the point of all those years and Lien if you can't stop this?"

"We're just students," Russel protested.

"Get out."

Cardin stared at the man. His father barely came up past the student's shoulders, but he was hard-edged and stood so straight he seemed taller than he was. Stronger than he was.

"What?"

"You heard me." Cardin's father pointed at the door, sweeping his gaze around at the four of them. "You and your pathetic weaklings, get out of my house."

"You can't-" Cardin started, but cut off when his father smacked him across the face.

"Don't _ever_ talk back to me," the man said. "There's no place in my house for somebody who can't carry his weight."

But what he said didn't matter, because Cardin realized something. He still had his Aura. He'd barely felt that hit, and the sting had gone in a moment. There was something else, too. His team was here. If they left, they were going to die. They all needed time to recuperate, to build up their Auras. They needed bandages and hopefully an actual doctor. They couldn't leave.

The others had already started moving for the door, but Cardin stopped them with a word.

"No."

Cardin's father whirled on him, but Cardin just ignored the man's punch, reached forward, and picked his father up with one hand.

"I said, _no_ , old man," Cardin snarled. "I'm _stronger_ than you, now, understand? This is _my_ house and _my_ team. They stay."

He drew his hand back, but didn't punch. When his father flinched, that was enough. The man grunted when Cardin dropped him to the ground, and turned to his team. He wished he could call them his friends. "The kitchen is at the end of the left hall. Dove, get the first-aid kit from the kitchen, third door down that hallway. I'll call the doctor."

His team split up. Cardin gave one last look at his father.

Maybe if Jaune had ever looked at him with that kind of hate, it would have been easier to respect him.

* * *

Cardin stared into a mug he'd barely touched, willing himself to drain the rest of it. It was so hard to get drunk as a Huntsman. With Aura constantly trying to heal the slightest pain and injury, somebody his size had to be drinking almost constantly to keep a proper glaze on his thoughts.

His father called it weak, said Cardin was running away from his problems, that he should be out there with his two teammates who could still walk or hit the road with the refugees like the cripple had. The old man talked a lot, but he never did anything and Cardin never hit him for the words. Why bother? After all, the old man was right.

Cardin was weak. He could beat up on an old man, but he couldn't stomach the thought of fighting one again or the knowledge that he was sitting there while people fought for his home.

So he didn't think at all.

The once-Huntsman raised his mug to his lips.

The door slammed open.

"Cardin!"

The boy dropped his mug and swore, but turned to look. It hadn't been his father's voice. It hadn't even been Sky's, the only member of the team who'd chosen to live with him.

It was Russel, arm amputated now. Russel, who'd sworn he'd never speak to Cardin again when Cardin told him he wouldn't go back out there to fight the Grimm. Russel, standing in his kitchen doorway, bleeding and gasping for air.

"I need your help!"

Cardin started to open his mouth, to try to explain again, but Russel cut him off.

"Sky's in trouble! A building collapsed, there's Grimm everywhere, the rescue teams can't get in."

"I… can't-"

Russel crossed the room in three strides, reached down, and pulled Cardin from his chair.

"You think I'd have come here if I had a choice?" Even as Russel snarled, he looked Cardin up and down, only holding hard enough to keep the bigger boy from falling over. " _Sky needs you._ There's nobody else."

That moment proved to Cardin that he'd never been friends with Sky. Friends used each other. The weaker friend served the stronger friend. He'd always thought that was what CRDL was to him. A Group of his friends. He must have been wrong, though, because he nodded and said, "I'll get my armour."

* * *

"Get _off_!" Cardin growled, slamming his mace into the skull of a Beowulf on top of him.

"Cardin!" Russel yelled.

Cardin's return yell was incoherent even to him, part acknowledgement, part anger, mostly fear. Still, he did as planned and turned his back on the horde, knelt down, grabbed a piece of rubble, and _lifted_.

The yell that had trailed off rose in volume as Cardin's whole body strained to lift that weight. He strained and gasped. He could hear the Grimm close enough to touch, smelled their breath. He almost broke and ran.

"Cardin!"

 _Sky_.

Cardin put everything he had into shifting the debris, and at first he barely managed to keep his grip.

The weight shifted.

Then he heard Sky grunt and the wall lifted away, Sky and Cardin heaving it into their shoulders, then pushing it aside.

"You came." Sky gasped the words, panting for breath opposite Cardin as civilians poked their heads out of the basement. He didn't seem nearly as surprised as Cardin was about that idea.

But Cardin was. Almost stunned. He'd saved Sky, and more besides. Because he'd come, people were alive who wouldn't have been, otherwise.

Maybe he _could_ help. Maybe he wasn't too weak.

Maybe his father was wrong.

Sky's eyes went wide. "Behind you!"

Truth be told, Cardin almost panicked, almost dove for cover and ran instead of acting like a Huntsman should. When he heard the growl, though, he remembered that day in Forever Fall.

Cardin's grip on his mace tightened and he spun, swinging his weapon with all his strength.

If that runt could kill an Ursa, so could Cardin Winchester!

* * *

Cardin swung down, squishing a creeper flat, and looked around.

That had been the last of them. Now the area contained nothing but black smoke, three Huntsmen, and dozens of dead bodies.

They hadn't been fast enough. Again. When Russel first came for Cardin's help, weeks ago now, it hadn't even occurred to him that a collapsed building had been the only thing that bought them enough time to save the people within. Without Scrolls, even the cars they so often stole weren't fast enough.

He walked up to a pair of bodies. One man had tried to cover another with his body. A Beowulf's claws had torn right through him and into the second man.

A detached part of the young man thought that, just a month ago, he'd never have imagined recognizing a Grimm by its claw marks.

He heard rubble shift nearby and looked up.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Looking," Russel grunted, putting his bad shoulder into half a wall, "for survivors."

"There aren't any," Cardin sneered. "There never are, not when we're this late."

Too slow.

Too weak.

"Cardin-"

"No," Cardin interrupted Sky and started walking away.

"Cardin!"

He didn't turn around. All he did was call back, "I'll be home… find me when you need me."

* * *

Another day, another fight. Cardin _had_ come back. All it was doing was proving him right.

"Into that building!" he roared at the civilians. "Now!"

They did as they were told. Not that it would make any difference, he thought as he readied his mace for the next wave.

They were coming in waves now. Hundreds of people living in fear attracted Grimm like flies. People Cardin thought he'd already saved, already made safe, were dead because…

Because they knew he was too weak to protect them.

He roared and slammed a Beowulf into two Creepers, then readied again while Sky covered him. A Grimm slipped past; Russel barely stopped it before it killed a woman. There were too many. They were all going to die.

 _About time,_ Cardin thought darkly, before Sky was nearly overwhelmed and there was nothing to do but charge forward and fight.

He tried to keep moving, to stay out of reach of the Grimm and still hit them hard enough to put them down in one strike. It didn't work, not with so many Grimm. Cardin took hit after hit, his Aura dropping in bits and pieces, then in one massive chunk when an Ursa barreled into him through the horde.

Cardin rolled across the ground and the world kept spinning even after he stopped moving.

Russel was holding the door with two knives, trying to make his almost-healed arm work properly. Sky was missing amid the Grimm. The Ursa was coming for Cardin. His mace was gone.

"Don't you dare!" yelled Sky, even over the sound of the Grimm and the screaming and the ringing of Cardin's ears. The other armoured boy came flying through the air, halberd helicoptering over his head.

It would have been heroic, if a Nevermore hadn't swooped down and knocked Sky to the ground in a flash of failing Aura.

Russel looked between them. Cardin knew what he was thinking. He could protect the civilians, save Sky, or rescue Cardin. One of the three. Or he could run, but he'd done that before and never forgiven himself.

In the stories, this was where the heroes would discover their Semblance. Something incredible, fitting, that had been inside them all along, waiting for the right moment to show itself.

That didn't happen.

In the stories, somebody did something brave and brilliant and stupid, turned the tables, saved the day.

Sky had tried that. He was holding off a Nevermore with the haft of Feather's Edge. About to die.

In the stories the cavalry came at the last moment, shining and powerful.

But there was nobody-

A deafening hail of bullets cut through the Ursa, the Nevermore, the dozens of Grimm on ground and in the air. More Grimm than the three Huntsmen could ever have fought, felled by more bullets than Cardin had ever imagined existed. And he'd seen Coco Adel fight.

In seconds, the world was nothing but black smoke. A few seconds later, it cleared to reveal a squad… platoon… large group of soldiers, all in red armour that covered everything but their mouths.

"Two through seven," called the one at the front, "secure the building. Nine through twenty, secure the perimeter. Eight, twenty-four, thirty-two, secure and triage the Huntsmen. Everybody else, search and rescue."

There was a little milling about as the soldiers sorted themselves, but soon enough everybody seemed to be going where they'd been told, including one soldier in white armour who knelt by Cardin. He ran a medi-Scroll past Cardin and nodded.

"Still got your Aura," the medic grunted. "Didn't go down during the fight?"

Cardin shook his head, a little self-conscious. "Mine doesn't recharge that quickly."

The medic grunted again. "Mm. Don't know what you were doing on your ass, then."

Cardin opened his mouth to retort, but the leader was walking up to them with with Russel and Sky in tow.

"You Huntsmen were damn lucky we got here when we did," the big man said. "I heard your lot were supposed to be legendary fighters, kill a swarm like this before breakfast, barehanded."

He laughed and Sky had to cut in before either Cardin or Russel got into a fight.

"We're just trainees, sir," said the blue-haired boy quickly. "Students from Beacon."

The leader nodded, gesturing for his medic to run off and rubbing at his chinstrap. "Students, eh? That might be alright, then. You boys got a Scroll on you?"

Two of the team shook their heads.

"Lost mine."

"Ditched it."

But Cardin fumbled around inside his armour for a few seconds and pulled out his Scroll.

"Turn it on," the man urged, gesturing vaguely. Completely at ease despite how many Grimm had been here minutes ago.

"Why? The system's-"

"Just one of of news you haven't heard out here, kid. Turn it on and hear the good word."

So Cardin turned in his Scroll.

The first thing he heard was the voice of hope.

"People of Remnant. I stand before you on the blood and ashes of countless individuals…"

* * *

"Avus-"

"That's Lt. Halia to you, kid!"

"-on your right!"

The Advent officer barely even turned, just tilting his head to glance at the oncoming Grimm before four of his soldiers riddled the thing with bullets.

Cardin tossed a Beowulf aside, knocked down a crowd of various Grimm, and tackled a Creeper before it reached a white-armoured Advent "Priest". A Stun Lancer took the like thing down as it hit the ground.

In minutes, the Grimm were dead. Every one, from a crowd easily thirty strong.

"Alright!" Lt. Halia called. "Perimeter and final count for the boys!"

"Three," Russel whispered, sidling up to Cardin.

"Six," Sky added, though he shot a look at Russel when he said it. With only one working arm, the other Huntsman never quite kept up with them anymore.

"That makes sixteen," Cardin said, turning with a grin to the Lieutenant.

"You don't get to count them multiple times!" Lt. Halia was telling a group of his soldiers. "If four of you were shooting it, it still only counts as one."

"But then who gets the kill?" one soldier whined.

"It's not about who, it's about Advent," Lt. Halia reminded them. "This is for Remnans and Lady Fall. Remember that."

The soldiers nodded and Cardin found himself nodding along when the Lieutenant turned towards them.

"Fifteen, once we figured out how to teach these bucketheads math," the man said with an easy grin. He scanned the trio, then the perimeter.

"Sixteen!" Russel replied, almost defiantly.

Cardin grinned. "Looks like we-"

He cut off as a thunderous roar filled the street. Screams filled the quiet as the noise echoed away.

Lt. Halia snapped to look in the direction three of his soldiers were running from. "What-"

In unison, the soldiers and remains of team CRDL yelled, "Ursa!"

They were right. The beast that came around the corner was the largest Ursa Cardin had ever seen.

Lt. Helia stepped back and, honestly, Cardin wanted to do the same, to break and run and leave this block to the monster. Even with his team, somebody was bound to get hurt, maybe killed.

"Tell you what, kid." Cardin looked to see his friend actually _smiling._ "Double or nothing. Take the Ursa, take the win. One condition: one of mine takes first shot at it."

Cardin stared. "Are you nuts? You can't send one soldier against that thing. He'll be killed!"

"I'll take that bet," the Lieutenant said, and gave a piercing whistle that attracted the Ursa's attention. "Corporal Noon!"

"Yeah, boss?" called a soldier in bulky green armour.

"Do you see that Ursa?"

"Sure as shit, sir."

Halia grinned even as a pair of his soldiers dove through a window to escape the Ursa's swinging paws. In the tone of a man signing a death warrant, he concluded, "I don't want to."

The woman returned his grin and grabbed a Stun Lance each from two other soldiers. Without another word, she charged.

"Wait!" Russel yelled, but Lt. Halia put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hold up, kid. I've been waiting to show you this."

When the Ursa turned on Corporal Noon and swung a massive paw down at her, Cardin thought that would be the end of it, proof that Lt. Halia had lost his mind. Except that Noon slid underneath and stabbed at both the beast's ankles on the way through, cackling madly the whole time.

What followed was not something Cardin would have normally called impressive. At Beacon Academy, superhuman feats had been there norm. There were even a few first-years who could have defeated this thing. But this was an Advent soldier. Just a grunt, as far as Cardin knew.

As the woman wove around slashing claws and the raging Ursa tried to bear down and bite her, Cardin managed a dumbfounded, "she's Huntsman trained?"

The officer shrugged. "Nah. Doesn't even have Aura. She's part of this new enhancement project Lady Fall's got going on. Most of the benefits of Huntsman training, none of the baggage or drawbacks. You know, like years of training."

He glanced away from the fight, at the three of them. "I've been thinking, that's all well and good, but not all Huntsmen've been indoctrinated yet. Few good apples in the bunch. I've been asking myself what it might do for someone like you kids to have those sorts of enhancements. I figure you'd be strong enough to wrestle that thing if you needed to."

As if you punctuate the words, Corporal Noon somehow managed to knock the Ursa to the ground. She got on top of it and aimed her lances at its eyes.

Cardin noticed the counter attack first.

"Look out!"

Noon noticed the Ursa's swing too late to dodge. She barely managed to throw herself to the side fast enough to negate most of the force of the hit. Still, she flew through the air and landed badly on the street.

"Ooh." Lt. Halia winced. "Not perfect, though. Go help her, boys."

CRDL charged.

They weren't a full team of Huntsmen, neither fully trained or a full team. The others tried to distract it so Cardin could get close enough to cripple it, but the beast was smarter than most. It seemed to know Russel couldn't hurt it and Cardin was as slow as it was. CRDL made no progress except tiring the Ursa out until they heard a crackle of lightning and a crazed laugh.

"Round two!" shrieked the Corporal as she sprinted past Cardin, Stun Lance in one hand and the other arm trailing uselessly behind her.

The Ursa must have been as surprised as Cardin, because it didn't react nearly in time to stop the woman from jamming a Stun Lance into its knee. It roared and hit the ground again, just in time for Cardin to reach it and crush its other knee to pulp.

It was all over shortly after that. The Grimm struggled, but couldn't escape its end.

As the Ursa disappeared into smoke, Corporal Noon finally looked down at her arm and summed up her thoughts on the matter.

"Ow."

* * *

"Did you see what she did?" Cardin asked his team later, for the fifth time. "We need that."

"I don't know," Sky mumbled, though Russel was clearly considering.

"C'mon." Cardin gestured to the window, where they could see the ruins of Vale by the light of Advent's perimeter stations. "It's Advent. It's not like we'd be letting XCOM toss us in a tank of sci-fi goop to see what comes out. We've seen what their enhancement does."

"Yes," Sky replied evenly, "and Ursina Noon is _nuts_."

Cardin shrugged. "Okay, so the power went to her head. Avus says she was always a little weird."

Sky still looked skeptical, but Russel added, "the Lieutenant said it might even let me use my arm again. You know, properly."

The green-haired boy held up his ration bar, which trembled so violently that the wrapper crackled.

Cardin nodded, sure he'd just gotten Russel on board. "Vale needs this. We're just students. With the enhancements, we could finally be what were training to be. Real Huntsmen. We could help retake Vale."

Sky looked out the window, too. There was another outpost in sight, just before the horizon. Advent, clearing small patches of territory. Some of those outposts across Vale grew constantly. More volunteers, maybe even Huntsmen, but especially the Advent enhanced. That was what was making the difference, according to the Lieutenant. That was what made the difference between the other outposts and their own stagnant home.

Sky had seen how they were barely holding on. Seen the Grimm attacks grow stronger even as CRDL scraped what little advantage they could get out of their experience with this trial by fire.

Advent had reports of what happened to outposts that took too long to grow and connect with the other outposts. They'd had survivors of those fighting retreats tell the stories even here. The hopelessness grew, and so did the Grimm, and inevitably it cost dozens or hundreds of Advent lives to break a path for the civilians to reach a stronger settlement. That was, when they made it out at all.

"Okay," Sky said with a heavy sigh. "I'm in."

"Me, too," Russel said, more enthusiastically.

Cardin grinned at his team and stood. "I'll go tell the Lieutenant."

* * *

"Alright, Mr. Winchester, we're going to have to put you under. The procedure is extensive and Huntsmen tend to take time to, ah, _react_ to the anesthesia. May we begin?"

Cardin rolled his eyes and nodded. Huntsmen had surgery all the time. They'd taught him the drill back in prep school. That wasn't important.

This, the procedure itself, was what mattered. By tomorrow, he would be something better. His whole team would.

He felt the sting of the reinforced needle. In a few minutes, he'd be out.

Cardin let his mind wander, thought about what it would be like, after.

He'd be stronger, faster, and to deal with pain more easily. CRDL would cut a path through the Grimm and finally help Advent retake Vale.

He'd track down that little cheat, Jaune Arc, and give him a beat down so hard the runt would never think about being a Huntsman again.

Would the enhancement work on Dove? His legs had been so mangled. But with Aura and the enhancement… well, a chance was better than nothing, and Cardin could probably use his new influence to convince Lt. Halia to spend the resources to try.

They'd save Vale. Maybe Cardin would get to meet Lady Fall. Gods, that woman was hot, and a real hero. Who wouldn't want a chance at that?

He wondered where Sky was. He'd still been nervous when they arrived.

Cardin felt his Aura finally give out. As his eyes flickered closed, he smiled. When he woke up, he'd show Advent what a loyal Huntsman could do. He'd show his father. He'd show the whole world a team of heroes.

He'd be strong.


	22. Schism

A/N: Another first-time TFTA participant, tackling a subject that is certainly deserving of more attention than it got in RU:

After Cinder made her "You're either with us, or against us" claim regarding the huntsmen, how did the teams around Remnant handle it?

* * *

 **Title:** Schism

 **Author:** Raven

The young man coughed, his hands trying to disperse the thick black smoke around him. The carcass of a giant arthropod was evaporating with a soft hiss and a stench as foul as if it was going through all stages of decay in the span of a few seconds - which, Nacht suspected, wasn't far from the truth. Hearing a quiet clattering sound behind him, the Hunter jumped to the side, under the canopy of palm leaves, and literally fell through the ground. The Grimm closed its mandibles with an audible snap but caught only air. Almost immediately after that loud swearing resonated from under its legs. Nacht jumped from the shadow, aiming at the monster's head. The spear-mounted gun cracked with a shot, accelerating Hunter's leap, and Donnerlanze pierced through chitin and deep into the flesh.

The Grimm screeched and shook its body, trying to throw the Hunter off, but he firmly held to his weapon's shaft. The scorpion bent, lifting its front legs off the ground and forcing Nacht to hang in the air, but at this moment something struck its chest with a loud crunch. The scorpion fell, crushing Nacht under itself. The Hunter hissed, hopelessly trying to crawl out from under its body. Fortunately, the corpse began to evaporate, allowing Nacht to breathe again.

"You alive?" grinned the red-headed man in a burgundy-colored cloak, extending his hand to Nacht

"Despite your best efforts, Xenios," answered the Hunter, getting up from the ground and shaking the sand out of his wide sleeves. Both men laughed.

"So we are rushing to their help and they have the gall to exchange jokes?" called out a third voice, laughing.

The Huntsmen turned to the speaker - a tiny girl in a blue silver-decorated caftan.

"Glad to see you too, Ydel. All good on your side?" - asked the redhead.

"No casualties so far," smiled Ydel, but then frowned as she saw her comrades' concerned look. "Ochre is checking the grounds, but yours should have been the last one. Should we head back to town?"

Nacht flinched as if he heard a particularly loud sound and rushed to the northern dunes. Xenios and Ydel, having learned to trust their friend's ear, ran after him. Still, the three were too slow, arriving only to see the Grimm's last twitching leg turn to smoke.

"Well, you sure took your time!" shouted Ochre with mock indignation as she fixed her twin shields on her hips.

"You aren't sinless yourself, oh great leader, leaving no glory to us!" answered Ydel in the same tone.

The team's captain shook her head and sighed.

"Alright, let's return to the town".

* * *

 _Fire and smoke filled the little girl's world. The cries, long since silent, still echoed in her ears. Something warm was dripping on her from above, but she shut her eyes and curled into a ball, too afraid to look on the nightmarish reality._

 _Until recently, life in the small village in the Mistrali outback went by its course, protected by a team of experienced Huntsmen. Two days ago, three travelers appeared at the gates asking to spend the night in the village before continuing on their way. The mayor, beloved by the villagers for his kindness, agreed. The three spend the rest of the day wandering around and left at dawn. It was then when the girl's father became suspicious, noticing them go in the same direction from which they came. He told the girl to be ready to hide under the floor should something bad happen._

 _At sunset, the three returned with their band and stormed the village, scaling the wall at the place where Grimm attacked it a week ago, leaving deep cracks in the wood. The father ordered the girl to hide and ran to help protect the village. This was the last time she saw him._

 _A loud roar tore the girl from her cocoon of memories into reality. Screaming, she jumped away from the sound and opened her eyes. The Ursa tried to fit its head under the planks, snapping its teeth an inch away from the girl's leg. Suddenly, the beast's face twitched, and after a couple of seconds began to evaporate._

 _"Is there anyone here?" asked an unfamiliar voice. "There are no more Grimm out there, it's safe to get out!"_

 _Not believing her ears, the girl crawled from under the floor and raised her eyes at her savior - a pale woman dressed in grey._

 _"By the gods..." muttered the Huntress, kneeling next to the girl. "Are you alright? The monsters are gone, all is going to be well..."_

 _The girl began to cry._

 _'Why... Why would they do this?" she asked in between sobs._

 _"This is what happens when people decide they are above law and order. Those are the true monsters..." whispered the Huntress, seemingly answering her own thoughts as much as the girl's question._

 _"Hey, chief, what have you got here?" - asked a male voice from aside._

 _"A survivor. A girl, no older than ten. We can't leave her there!" the Huntress shouted back._

 _"And what do you propose, adopt her? Not with the kind of risks we take every day"_

 _"Actually, that's a good idea, Feng. I've got relatives in Vacuo, maybe they'll agree to take her. Better than leaving her in the wild, right?"_

Ochre sat up in her bed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"A nightmare?" asked Nacht from the corner of the room.

"Something like that, yes," answered the captain, getting down on the floor and walking up to him.

The Hunter stood on a bended knee in front of a makeshift altar.

"Praying?"

"Something like that"

"You know, you never told us about this Lawrence of yours"

"I didn't?" asked Nacht, clearly surprised. "Well, time to fix this mistake. Lawrence Scorpionbane is a distant ancestor of mine. He was a Huntsman before they even were called that. During the Great War, he took command of one of the guerilla squads, striking deep into the Atlesian occupied territory. My whole family reveres him".

"A hero of chaos against forces of the order?"

"You're a poetic soul, aren't you?" answered Nacht with a smile. "But you're not wrong, one can describe him in such way".

"Do you believe he is watching over you?"

Nacht furrowed his brow.

"That's a difficult question. My father certainly did. It's more of a habit than a ritual for me, I guess. Still, if he is somewhere up there, I think he'd appreciate he is not forgotten. It's the least he deserves".

* * *

" _...I want nothing more than to stand at your side as you fight for that brighter tomorrow"._

The screen went black as heavy silence filled the bar. Ochre was the first one to break it.

"So what do you think?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"A woman from gods know where proclaims an army from gods know where to be enemies of the people", Nacht said thoughtfully. "I must admit, I have much more questions than answers".

"Still, she got CCTS running again. I think she deserves at least some trust," - chimed in Xenios.

"I don't like her," suddenly said Ydel, as if waking up from a trance. "She has evil eyes, cursed. Like a viper".

"Again with your superstitions, Ydel?", frowned Ochre, but was cut off before she could continue".

"Don't call my people's beliefs superstitions!" interrupted Ydel, getting up from her chair.

Bar's regulars looked at the quarrel with smiles on their faces, clearly expecting a fight to begin soon. The Huntsmen shared a look and stood up, approaching the girls.

"Ochre, sunshine, not here. Come on, let's go," Xenios whispered, carefully wrapping his arm around Ochre's waist and pushing her towards the doors.

Nacht and Ydel remained and the table until the former shrugged and nodded to the exit as well. This night team ONYX's room was empty.

* * *

Nacht pulled Donnerlanze's blade from the corpse of the Grimm, suppressing the compulsion to once again look to his left, from where short orders and gunfire could be heard. Although the Huntsman had enough problems for himself, the knowledge that an ally was fighting near him with a tactic unfamiliar and alien to him was disturbing his concentration. The team's reaction to Ochre's suggestion to participate in ADVENT's joint exercises was, to put it mildly, controversial, but the captain persuaded her comrades to give it a shot. Now Nacht was beginning to regret changing his mind so easily.

Suddenly a soft rustle reached his ears, followed by a loud scream. Jumping through the shadows, Nacht rushed to help. Soon he saw a giant Scarab, a soldier screaming and kicking in its spiky limbs. With a mechanical whirring, Donnerlanze shifted into the sword form and Nacht fired a couple of offhand shots, trying to distract the monster. The maneuver was successful - the Grimm threw the soldier to the ground and charged at the Huntsman. Nacht prepared to jump away from the strike when several arrows whistled through the air, piercing the arthropod's head and killing it.

"The hell you are doing?" shouted the soldier. "You were supposed to hold the right flank!"

"What, should I have left you to die?" Nacht shouted back, irritated.

"We have more than enough guns here," the trooper answered with a glare. "By breaking the formation you risk not one, but all of our lives! Damned desert barbarians..."

The squad leader cut his tirade off with a slap and muttered an apology, but it was too late. Clenching her fists, Ydel spat under the trooper's feet and stormed off towards the town.

"What is she thinking?!" asked Ochre, irritated. "To damn such an opportunity…"

Xenios, having just arrived, threw a surprised glance at her and turned to Nacht with a questioning look. The Huntsman shrugged, and the two men followed their comrade. Ochre stood in her place for a minute, looking at their backs, before finally shaking her head and running after them with an angry expression on her face.

* * *

The huge head of a dog-like Grimm hung on the wall, casting a shadow on a central table. A motley company of Huntsmen and ADVENT troopers sat at it, drinking and celebrating something.

"Where did you get that thing, Aegir?" asked Xenios.

"ADVENT met the bastard on their last patrol. Gifted the head to the bar when they came to brag about it," answered the retired Huntsman

"You do understand this is a work of a taxidermist's instrument, not a blade?" Nacht said, coming to the counter.

"I was hunting Grimm when your father was half your height, boy, of course, I understand this. But the kill is a fact, they have witnesses. Claim to have, at least."

"Are those witnesses the ones at the table with our brave soldiers?"

"Yes, but it's not only them. AZUR paid for the celebration, so for the rest of the day, the drinks are free, as long as you raise your glass to ADVENT. As you can imagine, this attracted all sorts of people".

Nacht shot a curious look at the table.

"You drinking, Nacht?"

"I think I'll pass, Aegir," the Huntsman responded, leaving the counter for his team's table near the corner.

"For you to refuse free booze?" asked the bartender, but received no answer. Xenios shrugged in response to his questioning look and turned the conversation to another topic.

* * *

The Hunters flinched and they heard a loud crash from behind the doors.

"What's even going on over there?" asked Xenios.

"Our dear ladies almost clawed each other's eyes out while you were away," answered Nacht, who was sitting on the corridor floor. "I managed to stop them, but now they're taking their anger out on the furniture".

"Dammit", muttered the redhead, biting his lip. "Well, better this than the alternative. Why did this even start?"

"Take a wild fragging guess".

"ADVENT?"

"Good boy. Have you heard that they overthrew the government?"

"That's the top topic in at least three bars out there. But what does this change? I've heard it was peaceful, and besides, when did we in Vacuo ever care about the government?"

"No idea. Still, I can kinda understand Ydel. I don't really like any of this either".

"Yeah, yeah, you dislike active displays of authority. But doesn't ADVENT protect people from Grimm and... other enemies? How's that any different from that Scorpionbane you idolize so much?"

Nacht just shrugged, staring at the corner. At last, he sighed and got up.

"Alright, let's calm them down before they smash the windows out. I'm not going to approach Ochre without you".

* * *

Xenios downed the mug, not sure if he was drinking to honor the tradition or just to forget. This day, the day team ONYX was formed at Shade, they would always gather in a bar and celebrate their lasting friendship. And yet, today he sat alone. Ydel and Ochre got into another fight this morning, and Ydel went off into the desert. Nacht followed her, and Ochre, her hands still clenched into fists, left the room to join an ADVENT patrol going in the opposite direction. And Xenios was dragged by his habit to their usual place, wondering if he was the only one still clinging to their past unity.

"So where are the other three?" asked Aegir. "I believe you always showed up together on this date. Are they late?"

The look in Xenios' eyes was enough to make the bartender stop his questioning and refill the Huntsman's mug. Xenios took the drink with a grateful nod.

"Oh, what do we have here? A filthy renegade, is it?" called out a voice from behind Xenios' back. He turned towards its source and saw three burly men, hostility clear in their eyes.

Before the Huntsman could answer, Aegir frowned and slammed the counter with his fist.

"Watch your mouth in my bar! Xenios and his team..."

"What, you're protecting him? Do you think he's worth it? All the actual Huntsmen joined forces with ADVENT, but I haven't ever heard of him participating in a patrol. He's just sitting there, enjoying his undeserv..."

Xenios kicked the thug's knee, cutting off his rant. While the man was spending precious seconds to shift his attention back to the redhead, the Huntsman followed with a strike to the ear. The groaning body hit the floor.

Xenios stood up, leaving Lien on the counter, and went to the exit. The thug's cronies recoiled as he walked past them, too afraid to attack.

This all was wrong, all of it, thought Xenios. And yet... was there anything he could do?

* * *

"Ydel Tenger, we are going to approach the nearest ADVENT outpost and offer them our services!" said Ochre in a demanding tone. "Do you not understand that only this way we can truly protect the innocent? Every second of hesitation plays into the hands of the XCOM terrorists!"

"I am not going to serve a demon!" answered Ydel, her hand darting to her dagger. Ochre put her hands on her shields in response.

"Wow, wow, easy there! The hell's going on here?!" shouted Xenios, together with Nacht placing himself between the Huntresses.

"A mutiny," a dark smile crossed Ochre's face as she explained to the redhead before turning back to her rival. "Ydel, if you would place some old superstitions above your oath to protect the people, then this team has no place for you!"

"Ochre…" a shocked whisper escaped Xenios' lips.

Nacht put his hand on his sword's hilt. In the ensuing silence, even the usually quiet clang of Ydel's bow was as loud as a thunderclap. The archer was yet to raise the bow at her captain, but this proved enough for Ochre.

"You have a choice, boys - with me, or against me. But remember that you will regret the wrong choice until the end of your lives," her tone left no secret about which choice was the wrong one.

Xenios suppressed the shaking in his hands as he took a deep breath and walked up to Ochre before turning to Nacht and Ydel.

"For fuck's sake, Porphyros…" whispered Nacht.

"Please, Nacht," pleaded Xenios, his voice shaking as though he was trying to convince himself of his own words. "We still can fix everything. We can all be friends and comrades again - the four of us, and the rest of the town".

"Shut up, gingerhead. We both know that's bullshit".

Ochre's face twisted in rage.

"So that's how it is, Nacht? You'll betray our friendship for some old steppe fairy tales?" she said, poison in her voice. "I thought bet…"

Nacht took a deep breath. Xenios, suddenly remembering his friend's heritage, jumped on Ochre, kicking her to the floor and covering her body with his. Nacht leaned forward and screamed.

The whole room shook. Windows rang and shattered. The sound wave hit Xenios and Ochre, throwing them into the wooden wall with such force they broke through it, tumbling down the red sand.

Struggling to keep her balance, Ochre stood up. Xenios was lying next to her - alive, but unconscious. Slowly shaking off her disorientation, team ONYX's former captain looked into the room through the hole in the wall. She saw Nacht - bent in two and coughing blood, his hood slipping from his head and baring his batlike ears. Ydel, on the other hand, was already firmly standing on her feet and aiming her bow at her former friend.

The bowstring clanged against the armored wrist. Barely reacting in time, Ochre put her twin shields before herself. The fire Dust capsule broke on impact, exploding in a cloud of embers. Hearing a whistle, Ochre jumped to the side. Two ice Dust arrows dug into her footprints. She had to go on the offensive.

Ochre jumped, then jumped in the air again, using Ydel's new arrow as a platform. Surprised, Ydel lost concentration and failed to avoid the next attack. The shield's edge knocked the archer's bow out from her hands. Ydel parried the next blow with her dagger and jumped away from Ochre.

"Ochre - one, Ydel - zero," the captain allowed herself a mocking smile.

The smile faded away when Ydel leaped at her with incredible speed, leaving a blur of afterimages behind herself. The dagger hit the shields with the strength of a dozen copies, the force of the blow burying Ochre's feet into the sand. Scowling, she grabbed Ydel's wrist and prepared to strike at her head.

A shot thundered through the air. Whizzing, Donnerlanze's spear form crushed into Ochre's ribs, sending her flying to the side.

"We're leaving," croaked Nacht, barely having enough strength to stand.

Ydel nodded and grabbed his shoulder. Picking up her bow on the way, she activated her Semblance, taking off into the desert.

* * *

"So what are we going to do now?" asked the archer, warming her hands against the fire.

"Well, we've got a bill waiting for us in the town, ADVENT will probably shoot us on sight…" the Faunus answered, squinting "Not a lot of options here".

Ydel forced a faint smile on her lips, knowing what four letters her comrade had in mind.


	23. Colors

A/N: We're back again with another story from Joey. This one's about Ilia adapting to life on the Avenger, and wrangling with her self-perception of an outsider (no, not that kind) and a traitor.

I say it a lot, but it's worth repeating: it's stuff like this, the little details that are _fascinating_ to me, but can't justify the wordspace in RU proper, that make the TFTA project one of my favorite things to come out of this whole crazy ride.

In any case, enjoy.

* * *

 **Title:** Colors

 **Author:** Joey

" _Pick up the pace, Rangers. I wanna see those feet moving faster."_

Ilia Amitola scowled as the voice of Captain Beagle echoed around her, overpowering the sound of pounding footsteps and her own panting breathing. Her Faunus agility and reflexes granted her an edge in short sprints, but for long runs like this one her stamina was severely lacking. On her left, Jane Kelly barreled past her with a machete slung from her back, while on her right she was overtaken by a Scout with long black hair and an ornate-looking dagger. Not far behind her, Fox Alistair and Velvet Scarlatina slowly closed the gap, with Yatsuhashi puffing behind them brandishing his giant sword as though it barely slowed him down.

" _Stay in your lanes. Your targets should be about ten meters ahead of you. Grayson, good sprint, but watch how much pressure you put in each step. This ain't the pool, and your knees are gonna feel the shock if you keep pounding your heels like that. Amitola, remember to breathe. Slow down if you have to."_

The chameleon Faunus scoffed and rolled her vibrant blue eyes. Slow down...yeah, sure. Maybe she'd go and get some tea and put a frilly dress on over her infiltration outfit and take a nice herbal bath while she was at it. None of that would happen, of course - no one had seen the Atlas prep-school girl-turned-radical terrorist-turned-XCOM operative in a skirt and lived to tell the tale, and no one present that day was gonna see her take it slow. If anything, it just made her want to go faster in defiance of the Captain's advice, but her body was unable to comply.

Regardless, she locked onto the ballistics gel dummy that was standing on the track, ready and waiting for a blade to be lodged in its throat. There was one in each of the lanes, one for each running Ranger on the course. Drawing Lightning Lash from her hip, Ilia aimed at the target, pulled the trigger, and fired the bladed whip out and delivering a potent strike right where it hurt. With the advantage of a long-range weapon, the chameleon Faunus got to watch as the other runners had to slow down to strike their dummies with blades of all shapes and sizes. Whatever lead she had gained from those precious seconds was quickly lost, as Kelly and Grayson resumed their measured sprint. Three-quarters of team CFVY weren't far behind, prompting Ilia to once more pick up the pace to the best of her ability.

" _Big finish, Rangers. Almost there. Just a few more meters...and time! Forty-seven seconds, not bad. Need to be better, though. Go ahead and hit the showers, then we'll pick this up again tomorrow._ _Same time tomorrow!_ "

With a wheeze and a groan, Ilia flopped down on a nearby bench, pulling the hair band off her ponytail and letting it all hang loose as she tried to get her breathing back under control. When she was confident she wasn't gonna pass out from lack of oxygen, she got up and started heading to the locker rooms. She noted, with some amusement, that she wasn't the only one who took a while to recover - in the corner she saw Grayson pour half a water bottle over herself and her long black hair, while Fox "watched" as Yatsuhashi knelt on the ground, leaning against Fulcrum for support.

"Hey. Nice work out there."

If chameleon faunuses were capable of leaping out of their own skin, Ilia Amitola might have done just that.

"Captain." She hastily saluted as she spun on her heel.

The Australian Rocketeer chuckled. "At ease. Like I've said time and again, no need to be so formal around me. Speaking of form, make sure to keep your shoulders loose and your feet pointed forward when you need to move like that. Doesn't much matter how much noise you make - if you're sprinting, speed and stamina are what matter, not stealth and subtlety. And stop pushing yourself so hard. You know what they say, 'the fire that burns twice as bright…'

"'...lasts half as long,'" Ilia finished, looking down at the ground. "Any extra assignments for me, sir?"

"Oh, just the usual. Spend at least an hour at the firing range, do your usual fitness drills, and make sure you get a good night's rest and plenty to eat. And one more thing."

Ilia stared up with a bored expression. "What's that?"

"I want you to spend at least an hour talking to another operative."

An odd request, but sure. "Will do, sir."

"And no, Sergeant Belladonna doesn't count."

Ilia froze. "...sir?"

"Only way we got through the Long War was by being there for each other," said Beagle, "On _and_ off the battlefield. So I want you to go and talk to people. Get outside your comfort zone. Make new friends, meet new people. Take a chance on a stranger. Like Lieutenant Arc says, 'strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.'

The blue-eyed chameleon faunus stared down at the floor, considering changing her colors to match the training hall's gray walls so she could escape this conversation. "Yeah...alright. It'll get done, sir."

"Good. Dismissed."

With one more half-hearted salute, Ilia stumbled into the women's washroom with a perpetual frown on her face.

 _Make new friends...meet new people…Easy enough for him to say._

After all, she was pretty sure Captain Beagle hadn't almost destroyed Kuo Kuana.

Now, one could argue that she wasn't _entirely_ responsible for the Grimm attack. She hadn't orchestrated the plot at all - that was the Albain brothers. She hadn't been the one to blow up the Belladonna mansion, or the one who planted the charges, or even the one who had knocked out Blake. And it was the Grimm that had killed all those hundreds of people, not her. Yet deep down she knew that every single one of those names in the casualty reports was her fault - including five of the names on the Avenger's memorial wall.

Who would want to be friends with someone who's done something like that?

 _Blue...the color of serenity. The color of the ocean that caresses the world, gently inviting all into its embrace…_

***  
"Oh wow, they turned out really well!"

Blake chuckled as she watched Gillian's gray eyes widen at the developed photographs that Velvet laid across the table. The young Lieutenant beamed as she reviewed pictures of undersea landscapes, gardens of kelp and coral, and homes that seemed to be carved into the side of the cliff that separated Kuo Kuana's shores from the rest of the ocean.

"I'm glad you approve," said Velvet as she took a sip of her tea, smiling with pride. "Took a bit of touching up, but I was able to make something workable out of almost all those pictures you took."

"Oh man," said Gillian, still smiling, "I wish I had one of those scrolls back on Earth. We haven't exactly figured out how to make our phones waterproof - at least, not to the degree these things are. Still...wow. Thank you for this."

Velvet nodded, while Blake scratched the sleeping Zwei on her lap with a mechanical finger. "I still can't believe you actually went and visited the Reef District," said the Pathfinder Faunus. "The people there usually come up to us for trading, on account of the rest of us not being able to breathe underwater and all."

"Which is a real shame, because they're _really_ friendly. One of them - Coral, I think her name was? - saw me swimming off the coast and thought I was drowning. But I wasn't, I was just doing that thing where I curl up into a ball underwater and let myself float. Anyways, she brought me up to the surface, we got to talking, and eventually she asked if I wanted to meet the rest of her family. Besides, since they donated a couple hundred tonnes of dried salmon and tuna, I'd like to think that it was less of a 'visit' and more of an 'official XCOM diplomatic outreach.'"

Blake smirked. "Sure...and I suppose getting to meet several beautiful women who love the sea as much as you had nothing to do with that."

"They're all _gorgeous!_ They're like real-life mermaids!" Gillian blinked at her outburst, then blushed, trying to hide in her hair. "Sorry...that wasn't racially insensitive, was it?"

"You're fine, Grayson," said Blake with a soft chuckle.

Velvet, meanwhile, seemed puzzled. "There's just one thing I don't get. How did you get down there? Last I checked, XCOM didn't have diving gear."

Gillian grinned. "Who said anything about diving gear?"

"Wait. You mean...you _held your breath_ the whole time down there?!"

"The whole way down and the whole way back up, yes," said the scout with pride, "Almost had a panic attack at around the twenty-meter mark, but I pulled myself back. And they like to keep and maintain these little air pockets for visitors to catch their breath down in the homes proper - it's just a matter of getting down and back that's tricky."

Blake was about to bring up Gillian's pooltime activities during the Long War when her ears perked up, and she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She looked over, and saw a figure with freckles and a ponytail staring dejectedly at the ground, trying to blend into the shadows beyond the doorway.

Ilia.

Velvet must have noticed it too, because she perked up at the presence of a new person. Following the gazes of the Faunus women, Gillian also looked over, and broke the silence.

"Oh. You must be Ilia."

The young Amitola seemed to shrink. _Way to call her out_ , _Lieutenant,_ thought Blake, loud enough for the not-quite-psionic Gillian to pick up on. Zwei's nose sniffed the air, and soon enough he wriggled his paws enough to squirm in Blake's metallic lap until he was upright enough to leap onto the tabletop, then off the edge onto the floor.

"Zwei! Careful!" shouted Velvet, holding her tea close while Gillian instinctively went to protect her precious photographs. But the small corgi did not heed the command, hopping over to the shadowy form of the new arrival. Ilia reeled back as Zwei approached, the cuddly canine nearly setting off her "fight, flee, or freeze" instincts. She eventually picked "freeze", standing ramrod stiff as Zwei cocked his head to the side, barking twice to say hello.

Blake's ears caught a soft, strained whisper. "Blake... _help…_ "

With a soft chuckle, the cat-eared Huntress got up and walked over, kneeling next to Zwei. "Don't worry. He won't bite. He's harmless. See?" She ran her hand down the corgi's coat to demonstrate. "Just lean down and let him sniff your fingertips. Then pet him like this."

Ilia audibly gulped, then slowly inched her way towards the corgi. Soon she brought her fingertips just near enough for the tiny dog's snout to sniff, then anxiously rubbed her hand down his fur. Zwei responded with an enthusiastic tail wag, propping his front two paws on Ilia's shins and licking her exposed knees.

"Wh-whoa!" Ilia nearly jumped backwards, but Blake smiled at her encouragingly.

"It's alright. That means he likes you. It's okay if it takes a bit for you to warm up to him - I was the same way when I first met him. Just take it slow, and say 'down' if he does something you don't like. Okay?"

Ilia nodded tersely, but the tension seemed to leave her shoulders as Zwei yipped happily, his tail causing hurricane-like windstorms with each wag. "Y-yeah...thanks, Blake. I...appreciate...you...it…"

Blake sighed internally. It had been about two weeks since she and Ilia had The Talk - the one wherein Ilia revealed her long-harbored feelings for the Belladonna huntress, and where she had to gently rebuff her advances - and although she tried to hide it, the young chameleon faunus was still suffering from a classic case of heartbreak. Combine that loneliness with the guilt of her actions in the "name" of the White Fang, and the result was a wandering soul that needed to connect with others, but was too afraid to do so. She knew that she had been kinder to Ilia ever since Sienna Khan had abandoned her, but there was only so much she could do without enabling her behavior.

Fortunately for Blake, Gillian and her quasi-psionic "empathy" were right there with a rescue, as the long-haired scout approached the pair.

"Um...hello. Ilia Amitola, right?"

Once again almost freezing on the spot, Ilia managed to choke out a forced "yes."

The quasi-psionic Lieutenant smiled warmly. "I'm Lieutenant Gillian Grayson. Callsign, Robin. It's nice to meet you. Well, I mean...I saw you in training, but we didn't really get a chance to talk. Would you like to come and sit with us?"

Ilia's eyes darted from the bold young woman to Blake, who just nodded. Slowly, the chameleon faunus nodded as well.

"Fantastic. I'll go and pull up another chair."

"Looks like I'll have to make some more tea, then," said Velvet as she stood up, taking the tea set back into the kitchen. Ilia followed Gillian uncertainly as she led her back, like the scout was a siren from one of her earth legends. But there was no trickery, no deception - Blake had to admit, the somewhat-odd girl had that sort of magnetism to her, that kind of aura that put other people at ease...that made other people feel welcome.

Once again, Blake thought loud enough for Grayson to pick up on.

 _Thank you._

 _Green...the color of fortune. The color of Mother Nature and the threads she weaves through her garden that alters every outcome within it, for both better and for worse…_

" _Operative Chloris, power off your board this instant!_ "

Reese's only response to MacAuley's command was to flip both birds in the vague direction of the intercom speakers. "You can't tell me what to do, old man!"

" _First off, I'm not_ that _old,"_ came MacAuley's indignant reply, " _Second off, technically I_ can, _since I rank higher than you on the chain of command. Thirdly, at least watch where you're going when you're joyriding, otherwise you're gonna - "_

WHAM!

The wind was knocked out of Reese's sails (and her lungs) as she slammed chestfirst into someone crossing the hall, sending herself and her obstacle collapsing to the ground in a pile of tangled limbs. Her board zoomed off without its owner, before it smacked into the wall, spun out of control around a corner, and clattered to a stop.

" _-do that…_ " finished MacAuley, " _I swear, if you made any dents, you're pounding them out yourself."_

Groaning, Reese tried to pull herself up while her head was still spinning, only to fail. Though part of that could be explained by the fact that a slender, freckled woman was laying on top of her, eyes rolling in her sockets as she too tried to get her bearings. As Reese's eyes refocused, she caught a glimpse of the skin changing from pale white to red, then slowly fading back to its natural color. Her eyes trailed down her "obstacle", taking in the smooth, strong-looking arms, the long legs, the ponytail that pulled back enough to reveal the back of her neck…

 _Shit. She's hot. Shit shit shit shit shit._

The woman rolled off of Reese, grunting as she felt her own ribs. Reese shook her head, trying to snap her mind back to reality.

 _Don't just sit there like a gay idiot, Chloris. Ask her if she's okay!_

Reese meant to ask "Are you okay?" She really meant to. She had the phrase in mind and everything, and had it on the tip of her tongue. But what came out of her mouth was not what she meant.

"Are you gay?"

The woman snapped up and stared Reese in the eyes.

 _Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit_.

"I-I mean areyouokay?"

 _Ace recovery, Chloris. You can stop talking there -_

"N-not that there's anything wrong with that! Uh...being gay, I mean! I don't want to imply that it's -!"

 _Great. Just great. Keep digging yourself deeper. Pretty soon you'll need spelunking equipment to get out._

The woman tested her ribs again. "Yeah...I'm fine…"

"Yeah you are."

 _Gods dammit, Reese! Shut! Up! Stop being! A useless lesbian! For two! Seconds!_

"And what about you? Are you...are you alright?"

Reese blanched. "Huh? Me? Uh...y-yeah! Yeah, I'm okay!"

 _Totally not having a mental breakdown here. Nope. Not at all._

The two of them stayed there in silence a moment longer, checking for bruises or broken bones as they stood up. Eventually, Reese opened her mouth to speak again - despite her brain's protests.

"Um...you want me to, uh...walk you down to medical? You know, so we can check you out - UP! Check you up!"

 _Hitting on girls immediately after crashing into them. Smooth._

"No, I…" the woman folded her arms behind her back, her freckles changing from brown to a light shade of pink. "I think I'll be okay. Aura took most of the impact. But...I appreciate the offer. I, uh...guess I'll see you around?"

Reese just sort of nodded mindlessly, grateful for an out of the conversation. It was only when the woman turned to walk away that she realized she had forgotten one very important step in the courting process.

"CHLORIS!"

The woman froze, then turned on her heel to face the flustered young Huntress. "Um...what?"

"Uh...m-my name. It's...Chloris...Reese Chloris...from team...ABRN?"

A sequence of blinks. Then a smile. "Oh. Well, in that case...it's nice to meet you, Reese. I'm Ilia. Ilia Amitola."

And with that, she walked away again, her ponytail swaying with her hips as she made her graceful exit. Reese's exit was a little less smooth - she nearly tripped over her own two feet as she stumbled to retrieve her board, repeating the name she had just heard in her head over and over again.

 _Ilia Amitola...Ilia Amitola...that's a nice name. A pretty name, too. Pretty like her…_

Then, like a chunk of gravity dust powering down, the weight behind the name struck her.

 _Wait. THAT'S Ilia?!_

For the next hour, her thoughts merely consisted of the word "shit" repeated endlessly.

***  
 _Red...the color of intensity. The color of pumping blood and screaming violence, and of hands forever stained with actions that can never be taken back…_

" _Sister Amitola, we have a task that we believe would suit your skill set...quite well._ "

The chameleon faunus shuddered as the soft, venomous voice of Corsec Albain washed over her, echoing and reverberating in the field of red mist she saw herself standing in. It had all started with that phrase, that simple request. At the time, Ilia just thought it would be something low-key, like Dust smuggling or hitting another SDC shipment. But arranging a series of events that would get the Menagerie Branch of the White Fang to throw in their lot with ADVENT? Ilia almost said no. She almost asked why they were asking her. Wouldn't Sienna be more suited to a job like that? Or Adam Taurus?

And then she heard that Blake was coming home.

For some reason, the knowledge that Blake Belladonna, the woman who had spent years chasing Adam Taurus's "tail" while ignoring the chameleon practically bursting with love for her, the prodigal daughter of the White Fang who was coming home only to preach the religion of XCOM, who openly pranced around with some air-headed blonde human bimbo - the very same one who had killed Adam Taurus, even! - burned inside Ilia. Her reluctance turned to rage, her indecisiveness turned to indignation. She got back to the Albains with a definitive answer.

And the results spoke for themselves.

The red mist around her coagulated, and the ground changed from crimson to black. Ilia swallowed hard as she saw dark shapes moving around her, shuffling and rising from the inky ground. Only it wasn't the creatures of Grimm. It was the people they had killed - or what was left of them, at any rate. Humanoid figures with missing heads, arms, upper torsos, and even legs hobbled and crawled towards her. It would have almost been a comical image...if it wasn't for the voices that threatened to overwhelm her mind.

 _I just wanted to make sure my wife survived. She died in my arms. A Canis killed me shortly after._

 _A Cockatrice pinned my legs to the ground, then ripped me in half with its beak. I was trying to get my baby to safety. I survived just long enough to see another bird gobble her up in one bite._

 _A Strider stepped on my fishing hut. I wasn't inside it, but my family was. A Scarab tore me apart a moment later._

 _I was so scared. So afraid. Where were my mommy and daddy? Why was everyone afraid? I just wanted to see Mister Belladonna speak. But then a Ravager picked me up and I flew above the ocean. Then it dropped me._

 _My wife and children are dead. And it's your fault._

 _Your fault._

 _You did this to us._

 _You betrayed your people._

 _You killed me._

 _You killed my wife._

 _You murdered my baby._

 _You did this._

 _You._

 _Brought._

 _This._

 _On._

 _Us._

Ilia clapped her hands to her ears, hot tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry!" she screamed, voice and throat raw. "I-I didn't want this! I didn't want... _any of this!_ I...I…"

The horde of shambling corpses linked broken, slimy limbs, and twisted and pulled and wove themselves together until they became a massive Gigas, the primordial sandworm that had been awakened by the panic. It shot into the sky, then descended on Ilia, who simply stared up at it. She couldn't run. She couldn't hide. She couldn't flee. She couldn't even stand up in the face of her own demise, as it crashed down on her and swallowed her and dragged her into an ocean where she couldn't breath and she couldn't see and she couldn't feel anything.

It was a fate better than she deserved.

Only darkness surrounded her for a moment, before her eyes snapped open. She gasped for breath, then sighed, noting that her blanket and pillows were once more stained with sweat and teeth marks. Trembling hands reached up to her bedside lamp, turning it on as she sat up uncertainly.

She looked around. The others in the bunks were still asleep. Good. She pulled a pink fluffy robe on over her shivering frame, snuggling into the warmth and comfort it brought for a moment. Taking a moment to steady her breathing, she finally slipped on a pair of boots before she headed to the kitchen to make a late night snack. Nothing too fancy or complicated. She just needed the toaster, a few pieces of bread, some lettuce, a tomato, a few slices of cold-cut venison, and -

"Another nightmare?"

Ilia just about jumped out of her skin for the second time that day, sending the knife and a jar of mayonnaise clattering to the ground. "Gods. _Dammit._ What is with you people and appearing out of nowhere?! And yes, I realize the irony in me being frustrated by that, thankyouverymuch!"

Hogarth gave no response other than sipping on his cup of coffee. Though Ilia couldn't see it, trillions of microscopic crystals beneath the man's skin shifted ever so slightly, allowing light to once more be blocked by his physical form rather than allowing it to pass through. The result was instantaneous - what was once a blurry outline became a man with shimmering hazel eyes, close-cropped blonde hair, a young face with the expression of a man much older, and a cool (but not cold) demeanor.

For a moment she felt a chill. Not because of the man's ability but because his look was well known to her. An office executive or professor who had grown up competing in physical sports. She had seen many of the type while undercover in Atlas and Mantle. Always stronger than they looked. Always knew more than they were letting on. She was all too aware of how dangerous such men could be if they were pushed, and she had no intention of toeing that line.

"Apologies," said the Sharpshooter, "I prefer to remain cloaked when I'm alone. Makes it more difficult for others to interrupt me. It was not my intent to scare you, little one."

Ilia mumbled something about how "intentions didn't really matter" before she leaned down to pick up the fallen silverware and mayonnaise jar. Her "mentor", the one who had put himself in charge of "watching the prisoner", seemed to follow her everywhere. How long had he been tailing her? Had he been there ever since she left training? Before she even got out of bed that morning? And why did he insist on wearing that same damn suit all the time?

She finished making her snack, put it on a plate, and considered walking back to the bunks to enjoy her sandwich in peace. But after ten steps, it became clear that whatever caused that nightmare would keep eating away at her unless she talked to _someone._ So spinning on her heel, she walked to where Hogarth was seated, setting down her plate and sitting down herself.

The suited man kicked the toe of his shoe against the paneled flooring, mumbling something about "real wood" under his breath before he noticed that Ilia had joined him. For a moment, they sat there in silence, her taking bites out of a sandwich, him taking sips out of a cup of coffee. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them made eye contact.

Until Hogarth spoke first.

"There is no shame in having nightmares," he said. "Even the strongest men and women cannot control what they dream about. The Lieutenant you spoke with earlier, Gillian Grayson - she whispers mission names in her sleep. Words like 'Vengeful Serpent', or 'Broken Wish', or 'Crumbling Castle'. And she laments the love of her life, the woman of her dreams, separated from each other by the Disconnect and waiting for a chance to return to those distant shores. And Reese Chloris...she had friends with front-row seats to Coco's match with Orryn, just before the Black Queen virus went live. Just before the arena's shielding went down...she screams their names into her pillow every night before she sleeps. No one is immune."

Ilia frowned. That _definitely_ confirmed that Hogarth had been tailing her for most of the day. Regardless, she shook her head. "So why are you telling me this? So I don't feel as bad about having nightmares about what I did?"

"Do you feel you deserve them?"

"Considering I indirectly killed hundreds of people?" spat Ilia, "Yeah. I'd say I deserve them. I probably deserve _worse_ , if I'm being honest."

"Like what?"

"I don't know!" shouted the chameleon faunus. "I...I don't know, okay? I guess I deserve whatever Sienna had planned for me! But I sure as hell don't deserve...this!"

"Deserve what?"

"This!" Ilia swept her arm across the room. "This life, this chance, this...all of this! Being part of XCOM, having friends, being in love, being able to talk to people...I don't deserve _any_ of it!"

"Why do you say that?" Hogarth's voice never wavered. He simply kept sipping his coffee as Ilia ranted.

" _Because I fucked up!"_

Tears burst from Ilia's eyes as she cradled her forehead in her fingertips, resting her elbows on the table. "I-I got people killed! I went along with Corsec and Fennec's little plan! I-I hurt people! I ruined lives! I brought a _goddamn Gigas_ down on my home! What would - "

Ilia paused for breath, her tears redoubling.

"...what would _they_ think if they were still here?"

The memories of her mother and father, the ones who inspired her to fight for the White Fang in the first place...she could only imagine how they would have reacted if they hadn't been in that cave-in…

She buried her face into the folds and sleeves of her robe, sobbing uncontrollably. She was vaguely aware of a warm hand reaching across the table, clasping her own and squeezing gently. Her skin shifted and cycled through about twenty different shades of blue, green, red, yellow, orange, purple, before she finally settled on pure black with white freckles and hair. Bone white, ink black. Like the Grimm.

"...I'm a monster…" she wailed.

"Only if you choose to be."

Ilia pulled her face out of her arms, looking up at Hogarth with bloodshot, tear-stained eyes. The man was still, his face neutral, his gaze unaffected by Ilia's outburst. Yet despite the chill in his stare, there was still a warmth in the hand that held to hers, keeping her anchored and grounded in the storm of her own feelings.

"Regardless of whether or not you feel you deserve this chance, you still have it. You have done a terrible thing that cannot be taken back. You cannot change that. But you have the opportunity now to atone for it, to show the world that even those that once walked the path of violence can find peace. That those that did evil can still do good. While the scars will always remain, it is up to you to decide if you will allow them to cripple you...or if you will let them fade as you continue to grow stronger."

The chameleon faunus sniffled as her normal colors returned.. "And...how do I do that?"

"That is between you and your sin, little one. As a man who has made peace with his own demons, I can aid you in finding solace. I can assist you, advise you, answer your burning questions. But I cannot walk that road for you. Only you can do that. I guarantee that you will not be alone...but I can only help if you allow me. And others can only help if you allow them into your life."

Ilia choked a bit. "I guess that's why Beags told me to spend an hour socializing with other people."

"Perhaps. That man has overcome many of his own demons to get to where he is. He may know the value of surrounding oneself with people who can aid in working through grief. Either that, or he's completely insane. The jury's still out, really."

With a chuckle that almost sounded happy, Ilia leaned her forehead against the back of Hogarth's hand. "Thanks…"

"Do not thank me yet," said Hogarth, "That was the easy part. The hardest parts of this journey are yet to come. But one step at a time. Now then...perhaps you can start by telling me more about this...Corsec and Fennec? You say they were the ones who masterminded the plot? Anything you can share about them - including, for instance, information that Covert Ops teams might find useful - would be a strong start for your atonement."

Ilia smiled as she leaned against the table again, sitting up and sharing everything she knew about the Albain brothers, the splinter section of the White Fang, and whatever key members were still active. As she did so, her mind flashed back to a song her parents sang when she was younger, when things were simpler and she was happy…

 _Show them how you smile_

 _If only for a while…_

 _Show how you feel_

 _Show them what's real_

 _Be any color that you want them to see…_

She was part of XCOM now. She was free to be whatever color she wanted.


	24. Karakurt

A/N: Aaaaaaaand we're back. I've got another batch of chapters, courtesy of some wonderful creators who took the time to pour some of their creative spirit into the world of REMCOM.

First up is an author who has contributed to TFTA previously, and this chapter is a continuation of the story of Team ONYX. Or... at least half of it.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **Title:** Karakurt

 **Author:** Raven

Nacht fell on his knees, his head dizzy as black smoke danced in the hazy desert air around him. Fighting against vertigo, the Huntsman tried to rise to his feet but stumbled and plunged face-first into the red sand.

"This should've been the last. You alright there, Nacht?" asked a female voice from behind.

"You know I'm not, Ydel," the young man answered, struggling to stand up. "Care to help?"

With a weak chuckle, the Huntress grabbed her friend by the shoulders and pulled him up, holding him until he gathered a footing.

"Thanks. How are you holding up?"

"Not much better, to be honest. Still, we can't stop here, can we now?"

Smirking, Nacht took a deep breath and resumed walking in the previous direction.

"Are you sure we're still on the right way?" he asked after some time.

"I may be not familiar with this desert, but I know how to stay on course. We're on the same path as when we set out."

"Great. All that's left is to not die before we reach the town."

Both Huntsmen laughed at the joke, although both knew the possibility was real.

Their initial idea to join XCOM seemed simple - until the two understood they had no idea where to search for them, the ADVENT's government takeover seemingly making the organization unwilling to operate openly. With that plan no longer viable, the Huntsmen settled on traveling to other small towns scattered across the desert and trying to find information there. Still, the problem of actually getting there remained, made much more serious by the fact they had no time to gather supplies. To make things even worse, they both had little to no sleep - Ydel seemed to be scared of the desert night, which kept Nacht on edge as well, even when it was her turn to stand guard.

* * *

A sudden sound caused the bat Faunus to stop dead in his tracks. Raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he peered into the distance, barely discerning humanoid shapes near the horizon.

"I'm not hallucinating, right, Ydel? There are people there!" he shouted.

"Don't think two people would get the same hallucination," agreed the Huntress. "Come on, we can still catch up to them!"

"Halt!" shouted the white-cloaked man from his camel as the two Huntsmen, breathing heavily, approached his group. "Who are you?"

"Under this blue sky, we greet you, fellow stranger!" answered Ydel before Nacht could react. The man shot a curious look at her.

"You are not from here," he said, not a question, but a constatation of fact.

"We aren't. But the principles of the free people are the same everywhere, are they not?"

The nomad exchanged a glance with the other two, all dressed in the same cloaks but wearing scarfs of a different color, and looked over Ydel once again. Finally, he nodded.

"May the sun shine upon your path, fellow stranger. You look like you could use some help. We shall pass near an oasis soon, you may join us if you wish."

Nacht and Ydel bowed in gratitude and climbed the free camels the nomad leader gestured them to, spending the road in long-awaited sleep.

When they arrived at the oasis, Nacht pinched his arm, still refusing to believe their luck. Although he would never fully admit it to himself, he knew they would have hardly survived another day or two of the road, had they not met the nomads. But now, between the few hours of sleep and a few handfuls of cold water in the face, Nacht felt more refreshed than he ever did in the last week. Refreshed enough, indeed, to hear the steps and the clanking of weapons behind him, even with all of the nomads' caution and grace. With the flick of a switch, Donnerlanze's mechanisms whirred to life, shifting the weapon into its spear form while the Huntsman turned around with lightning speed, bringing the spear's blade to his assailant's neck... And felt the cold metal of the nomad's sickle at his throat.

"If you value the laws of hospitality and your life, you will drop your weapon and allow us to check your neck. We are not going to just turn our backs to foreigners that came from the depths of the desert."

Nacht shot a questioning glance at Ydel and saw her nod. Reluctantly, the Huntsman put his spear on the ground and pulled off his hood. The nomad leader put his hand on the Faunus' neck, slowly lowering it to his shoulder blades, then slid it back up and put it away, seemingly satisfied with the results of his search. One of the nomads repeated the procedure with Ydel.

"What was that about?" Nacht asked, bemused.

"Evil hides beneath the desert sands, stranger, and one does not talk about it lest one wishes to invite it upon themselves. I apologize for the rough treatment, but you must believe me it was necessary. Now," the nomad extended his hand to the Huntsman, "I believe introductions are in order. My name is Sabah. What is yours and how did you find yourselves in such a situation?"

"I'm Nacht, and my friend's name is Ydel. We've had... something of a disagreement with our comrades and the authorities," answered Nacht, carefully choosing his words. Sabah raised his brow but remained silent.

"We were traveling to one of the nearby towns. Would your path, by any chance, lay through any of them?" asked Ydel, making use of the moment of quiet.

"This would not be the case, I am afraid. We are currently staying in a temporary camp a day away from here and are not planning on moving away yet. Still, if you wish so, we invite you to stay there for a while - you still look like you could use a proper rest."

"We are in your debt, Sabah," bowed Ydel, and Nacht repeated her gesture.

* * *

The sun was already setting when the nomad camp appeared in sight. It was rather small and simple - fitting for a temporary measure that could be abandoned at a moment's notice - a few tents hiding in the shadows of the palm trees and a makeshift camel pen. The group dismounted, tying the camels to the pole in the pen's center, and set about preparing the campfire. Soon the fire was ready, coffeepot set upon it as the night swallowed everything around the camp. The Huntsmen and the nomads sat in a circle, passing the cup around and listening to the stories told by Fidiyan, the youngest of the free people. The grey-haired man was evidently good at his craft, managing to invest even the other nomads in his tales, despite them undoubtedly having spent many nights like this.

"So, a couple of weeks ago we have met another nomad tribe, and you would not believe the story they told us!" he said, after another of his stories ended.

"We were there with you, Fidiyan", interrupted Aashala, the third nomad.

"They were not, and they deserve to hear this. So," Fidiyan turned back to the to Huntsmen, "they have told us of this group called XCOM..."

The storyteller made a dramatic pause, and despite himself, Nacht couldn't help but lean forward impatiently. Satisfied with the effect, Fidiyan continued:

"They said it was an army of master Huntsmen, carried by the wings of searing desert winds around the world. They said that every one of them would lay down his life for a single innocent. They said even greater things of their leader, though... The all-seeing eye, possessing the strength of ten and the cunning of twenty. Indeed, it would be hard to believe that such a person could exist..."

"That is because he does not, Fidiyan!" Aashala shouted, irritated.

"This does seem a bit exaggerated," agreed Ydel.

"Mayhaps it is, but as the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. No lesser man would have been able to earn such loyalty they spoke of. They said his name is... The Great Commanding One..."

Near-silence engulfed the camp, everyone either quietly chuckling or groaning inwardly. After a few minutes, Ydel spoke:

"Sorry for changing the topic, and I know I'm repeating myself, but you saved our life back there. Is there any way we can repay that debt?" she asked.

"Do not mention it, Huntress. Cursed is the one who only helps his fellow men because he expects a reward," answered Sabah before wincing silently from Aashala shoving his elbow in his side with an angry look.

"Still, if you insist on doing something in return," continued the nomad leader after recovering his composure, "there is something we can use help with. You see, some days before we met you a powerful Grimm attacked our tribe. It caught everyone by surprise and managed to wound most of our warriors, even killing Aashala's brother before retreating to its lair. It was decided that we would stay behind to avenge him while the rest of the tribe continues on their way."

"So you want us to help you defeat this Grimm?" Nacht asked, leaning forward.

"We would be thankful if you decide to join us on this hunt," Sabah nodded.

"Then this is what we'll do. What is our mark?"

"A Rakshasa."

* * *

After this, the conversation died quickly and the Huntsmen went to sleep in Sabah's tent while the nomad stayed on guard. The two fell asleep almost instantly, curling up on a thick carpet serving as a floor.

Judging by the color of the sky, it was still early morning when Nacht was woken up by a rustling sound.

"Trouble sleeping?"

Ydel nodded in response.

"Since we're awake now, I've been wondering - can you tell me anything about that "evil" Sabah mentioned back at the oasis?"

The Huntress' face twisted in worry.

"It's... An evil spirit, a Grimm traveling under the sand. It... It makes people... not themselves," Ydel's voice was anxious. "M-my people believe that it can sense when it's being talked about, so we don't... It may be silly, just another superstition, but..."

"It's alright, I believe you," Nacht interrupted. "If that's how it is, you don't have to talk about it."

The Huntress exhaled and gave her friend a thankful smile. For some time, the two sat in silence, looking at the brightening sky through the tent's entrance.

"Think we made the right decision, Nacht?"

"You mean not joining ADVENT?"

"Yes. I still believe in what I saw in that woman's eyes, of course, but I can't help but worry about Xenios."

"If anyone can manage to stay true to themselves in such circumstances, it would be him. He's a good lad, you and I both know this."

"That's the problem. He won't be able to ignore what's happening in front of him forever. Just what will he choose then?..."

"The sun has risen, and so shall we! Wake up, my friends!" came a shout from outside the tent, prompting the Huntsmen to come out and join the nomads around the campfire.

The jackal's teeth snapped shut on a spot where Nacht had just been standing. Seeing the glint of metal in the corner of his eye, the Huntsman leaped to the next enemy, trusting Ydel to finish this one off. There were plenty of targets around, the dog-like Grimm traveling in packs almost large enough to overwhelm the five warriors. The blade slashed at the pack leader's belly, which exploded in foul smoke as Nacht slid from under it. Another Grimm turned to face him before getting its feet pulled from under him by Sabah's sickles, leaving it unable to escape the killing strike to its mask. The Huntsman had to admit, the five of them made for a surprisingly good team despite meeting each other only a few days before. Nacht aimed Donnerlanze and the closest jackal, distracting it from prone Aashala for long enough for his katars to pierce the monster's neck. The bat Faunus spun around in search of his next target, only to find none.

"Guess that's all for now."

"It would seem to be the case," Sabah nodded. "Onwards, then!"

In the past week, the five were searching around the nomad camp trying to find the Rakshasa's lair. Until today, the endeavor was fruitless, though Nacht always appreciated some combat training. Now, they were standing before the edge of a wide canyon, the jagged rocks protruding from the sand only to drop almost twenty human heights down. The bottom of the canyon was shrouded in darkness even though it was just a little past noon, but the claw marks and the bone shards around it served as a pretty good indicator of what was to be found inside. Aashala's face darkened as he saw a patch of a yellow-green cloth impaled on a stone spike below.

"It's from his scarf. The beast is down there, there can be no doubt about this," he exclaimed, barely able to suppress hatred in his voice.

"I understand how you feel, my friend, but it is better we return later, specifically prepared for the battle and not tired from fighting the lesser beasts," Saabh replied.

"Should we not at least descend here and find where exactly the Rakshasa lies so that we waste less time when we come back to kill it?" the redhead argued, not willing to concede.

Before either of nomads could respond, Nacht interrupted them and volunteered, confident in his Semblance being able to ensure his safety down in the chasm. Still, he felt nervous as he climbed down the canyon's walls. Stone spikes rose from its jagged bottom as if teeth from a giant maw and cracks ran abundant in the rock, preserving darkness despite the sun having just passed its zenith. His head started to spin, sinister shapes shifting in the shade. Suddenly, a bony arm shot from one of the wider cracks, grabbing the Huntsman's torso and dragging him inside. Air knocked out from his lungs by the monster's strength, Nacht barely managed to shout for help as he disappeared in the darkness. Acting on instinct, the Faunus called upon his Semblance and fell into the shadows.

Darkness. Nothing but darkness around him, blocking all senses, suffocating him. In that instant, Nacht remembered why he never hid inside bigger shadows ever since he discovered his Semblance. Panic began to gnaw at him, making him relive the nightmare. A lonely kid cornered by a pack of stray dogs suddenly disappearing into the shadows cast by the buildings around him - only to realize he couldn't come back. Back then he also found out himself inside this darkness, too vast to comprehend, encroaching at him from all sides. The young boy waited inside this darkness, robbed even of his ability to cry, until the noon chased the shadows away and he emerged from them. But even the brightest of days would not shine its light into this cave…

But Nacht wasn't this boy either. The Huntsman calmed himself down, regretting he didn't have an arm to slap himself into his face, and concentrated. He could still hear, even if all that came through the darkness was distorted echoes of the monster thrashing around. He was nowhere - but also everywhere the shadow reached. Channeling his resolve into one action, Nacht willed his body to form from the ceiling and fell onto the Rakshasa.

As the blade, its might multiplied by the fall, pierced the monster's skull, it dawned on him that this decision might not have been among his greatest. With a deafening roar, the Grimm shook its whole body, trying to force the Huntsman from its head. Focused on resisting its efforts to do so, Nacht rather heard than saw the beast's tail coming at him from a wide arc - too late for him to react. The strike once more forced the air out of his lungs, but it seemed that this time luck smiled at him - as a soft crackling alerted Nacht of his Aura depleting, he was suddenly blinded by sunlight, the monster's attack throwing him out of the cave.

Before he could brace for the inevitable impact with the canyon wall, Nacht felt something coil around his leg and pull him up. An arrow shot through the air in front of his eyes, exploding fruitlessly on the three-eyed bone mask as Fidiyan's bizarre weapon carried him to relative safety. The second the Huntsman could stand up, Sabah commanded the group to retreat - an order that even Aashala seemed eager to follow. When the initial shock subsided and the five stopped to catch their breath, they were surprised by the empty desert behind them, carrying no hint of pursuit. Sabah was the first one to fully come to his senses.

"Is everyone in one piece?"

Waiting until everybody answered in some manner, he continued.

"It is dusk already. I do not think trying to return no would be wise - we will attract Grimm from a wider territory and would be less protected against them than if we set camp until morning. Fidiyan, prepare the campfire. Nacht, watch the direction of the cave. Aashala, Ydel - the rest of the perimeter is on you. I shall see if there is anything around that I could set up a defense with. Now go!"

* * *

Nacht peered into the darkness, holding a dried scorpion tail in his hands - the only thing from his old shrine had left - as he whispered the words of his family's prayer. Then, quiet footsteps alerted him to a presence behind him.

"Why did you run away from the cave?" Aashala asked, anger clear in his voice.

"There was no chance of me defeating it and you know it."

"You did not even try to fight it!"

Nacht took a deep breath, reminding himself how important the matter was to the nomad.

"Ydel did, and her arrows achieved nothing. Besides, wasn't it your own leader who ordered the retreat in the end?" he answered, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Oh, so this is about orders now?" Aashala made a show of noticing the scorpion tail and nodded at it. "I know of only one ancestor spirit whose worship includes such trinkets. I suppose a position like this is the only thing one can expect from Valean scum..."

"You will take those words back!" Nacht shouted as his hand found Donnerlanze's hilt. Another deep breath. "Even if Lawrence Scorpionbane was not born in Vacuo, he earned this honor for his heroic deeds in the Great War!"

"Only a foreigner would disregard the importance and strength of the ties of blood!"

"Was it this strength that served you so well in saving your brother?!"

A feral grin bloomed on Aashala's face. Oh, he'll wipe that smirk from his face, this bastard's just asking for that!

"What is going on here?!" came Sabah's shout.

Even if he's here, he is distracted by trying to figure out the situation and won't be able to interfere until it's too late. Two strikes and they both will pay for their mockery, as they should. Just pull out the blade, and you'll once again destroy the fragile camaraderie…

Nacht felt a narrow hand grab and squeeze his own. Deep breath. Maybe a couple more.

"I got caught in the heat of the moment and took noble Aashala's comment for an insult at my ancestors," he said, choosing his words carefully. "I apologize for the inconvenience my outburst caused".

Even without turning back Nacht knew there was a relieved smile on Ydel's face. It seems it was her turn to be the collected one.

"It returned!" Fidiyan's voice cut into his thoughts, followed by a scream, and not a second later the night sky itself seemed to shudder with a monstrous shriek.

Here, illuminated by the flickering fire, the Rakshasa truly was a sight to behold. Vaguely humanoid but standing on all four limbs, bony armor protecting its black body and a long messy mane covering its head and neck - the Grimm looked like a terrifying cross between a man and a lion. The beast charged into the camp, forcing the four of them to scatter.

Nacht rolled away from a tail strike, shooting at the monster as he stood up. Rakshasa crouched as if preparing to jump, but then a volley of arrows hit its head, forcing him to turn to Ydel and Sabah. As it began to charge at them, the Huntress and the nomad ran into opposite directions, forcing the Grimm to settle just for the latter, but while it slowly changed its course, Nacht slammed into its side, his jump enhanced by Donnerlanze's recoil, sending the monster falling on the sand.

This bold maneuver almost cost him his life as the Rakshasa rolled to its feet, almost crushing the Huntsman under its weight. Another volley distracted the Grimm, and Aashala used the opportunity to slice at its leg. The monster roared and jumped high into the sky, its black skin almost undistinguishable against the moonless dark. The first one to spot it was Ydel, who barely had enough time to scream as the beast fell upon her, draining her Aura in one move and leaving her unconscious. The other three froze on their places, waiting for the monster to attack one of them so that they could use the opportunity to retaliate.

The attack came in the form of a sweeping tail strike, throwing all of them away. The beast then charged, its thundering steps almost completely drowned by the sizzling of the Aura of three men depleting. As Nacht prepared to meet the Grimm with his spear, a chain tangled itself around its hind legs, forcing it to fall. The Huntsman and the remaining nomads didn't waste time in using the opening, slashing and slicing at its mask and body.

The beast roared and tried to pull its legs apart. The chain bit into them, sharpened edges of its links cutting into the black skin and meat, before finally breaking and sending bits of metal flying everywhere. The Grimm turned around and jumped on Fidiyan, but its injuries prevented it from succeeding and it landed a few meters away from the young nomad.

Seeing the Grimm begin to raise its tail for a strike, Nacht screamed to divert its attention and ran towards it. His diversion worked, but the tail struck him before he could reach the monster, leaving a wound on his body. Luckily, Sabah and Aashala started running at the same time, the beast too distracted to retaliate against them as well. The sickles and the katars slashed through the smoking flesh, chopping Rakshasa's legs off completely, and it let out a shriek so loud that Nacht saw the world briefly darken in his eyes.

The monster flailed its remaining limbs and tail in agony, its mad attacks unable to connect with its assailants but rendering him untouchable in melee. Gathering the last of his strength, Nacht aimed his weapon and pulled the trigger, sending it flying towards the Grimm. Donnerlanze cut through the thick mane and surprisingly thin neck with ease, and as the beast turned towards him and prepared to make its last charge on its front limbs, Sabah thrust his sickles into its mask, shattering it. With a final pained roar, the Rakshasa perished, the black body turning to smoke and scattering away.

* * *

The very moment the group reached their camp, Aashala led Sabah into his tent, claiming he needed to discuss something important. A few minutes later they emerged, still arguing.

"And I am telling you we can not trust them!" Aashala shouted. As his gaze met Nacht's, he grinned and continued, "This one even tried to set that Rakshasa on me as we fought! Surely you could not have missed it, Sabah?"

Rage filled the Faunus' mind.

"This is ridiculous! I'd never betray a comrade, and I've never done anything like you speak of!"

"Oh? Just like your Lawrence never betrayed the Vacuan?"

"Filthy lies! Take. This. Back!" he shouted, drawing Donnerlanze.

"Those are? Then make me," taunted Aashala in response.

"Stop, surely it will be better if we all calm down and..." before he finished speaking, Fidiyan was interrupted by Aashala suddenly turning around and driving one of his blades into the young man's stomach.

Sabah recoiled in shock as Nacht roared and charged at the katar-wielding nomad, aiming his weapon at Aashala's throat. The nomad jumped to the side, leaving the katar in Fidiyan's body, and laughed at the bat Faunus. Nacht locked eyes with him, breathing heavily, then began running towards him. When only a few steps remained between them, the Huntsman fell into the shadows and emerged behind his enemy, thrusting his sword into his back. With impossible flexibility and a faint cracking sound, the nomad turned his torso around and tried to stab Nacht in the heart, but only slightly wounding his side instead. The Huntsman jumped away, his weapon still inside Aashala, while the nomad glared at him, the shadows making his eyes look almost pitch black.

As the Faunus considered his options, an arrow whistled through the air and pierced Aashala's neck. The nomad fell as if a puppet with its strings cut.

Clutching at his wound, Nacht approached the rapidly withering body along with Ydel and Sabah. Suddenly, the Huntress kneeled and tore away the piece of Aashala's cloak covering his neck with her arrow. Before the three sets of eyes was a disgusting creature, a mix of a spider and a crab, bleeding smoke from its dotted back.

"Karakurt. The Black Crawler. There was nothing of him to save," the Huntress finally spoke after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

"Doesn't make it any easier"

"It never does," agreed Sabah. "What now?"

"I doubt any of us desire each other's company after that," Nacht replied. "So after we treat Fidiyan, I'd be thankful if you would tell us where we could find the tribe that told you about this XCOM group. Then we'll leave."

"This would probably be the best," nodded the nomad leader as he walked to Fidiyan and began examining the wound. "No free man would travel the desert arbitrarily, so I can provide a reliable enough guess as to where they will be. But that would be later, and now we have much more pressing concerns."

Nacht kneeled on the sand next to Sabah as Ydel ran to get the medical supplies from Sabah's tent. The mockingly bright sun stood in its zenith, as ignorant to the scene under its light as it always is.


End file.
